


Garden of Fiction

by OblivionTime



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-17
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2018-03-23 10:40:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 39,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3765085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OblivionTime/pseuds/OblivionTime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is where I put all my clean one-shots. Warnings are in the chapters</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Reconnection

**Author's Note:**

> Because Black*Star was stubborn and Maka too entertained with the idea what they were going to do. She couldn't help it. She wanted to do it even if it would hurt her boyfriend Soul.
> 
> Warnings: Implied sexual content

**Reconnection**

 

“Are you sure we should do this?” Maka avoided the blue eyes of her friend. Her fingers fiddled her red skirt as a blush grew on her face. “I mean, this is something you are supposed to do with Tsubaki and me with Soul. This is so―”

    “Intimate.” Black*Star finished her sentence. “It is, but we are childhood friends.” His hand laid on hers. Maka’s eyes connected with his blue ones. “We know each other. We were friends long before we met Soul and Tsubaki. We’ve been so busy with missions and our relationships with our weapons. I think it is time for us to connect.”

    “But,” Maka’s throat is drier than the desert their city is surrounded with. Her heart is going haywire and her sweat production is at its peak. Her hands glister with sweat and she wiped them on her skirt. “I mean, it feels _wrong._ What if Soul or Tsubaki finds out? Soul won’t be happy with us. If we do this, nothing good will come out of this.”

    “But it will be an experience.” Black*Star brushed back Maka’s hair behind her ear before he settled his hand on her cheek. A small smile spread on his face. “An awesome experience for us. Let’s not dwell on the consequences and simply do it. Don’t think about the pain.”

    It was risky. She knew Soul would be pissed when he finds out.

    But Black*Star meant a lot to her too, and they hadn’t done anything together for a very long time. Soul would be mad at her, but the intimate moment with Black*Star would outweigh the consequences.

    “Alright.” Maka agreed. “Let’s do this.”

    Black*Star smirked and both of them pulled toward the other like magnets.

    Carton opened and moans and screams filled Maka’s room. Saliva dripped from their mouths and their hands squeezed each other’s. Maka shuddered and Black*Star hollered to the moon.

    The door to Maka’s bedroom swung open, revealing white hair and eyes bulging out from Soul’s socks. “What the fuck are you doing?!”

    Maka gasped and gripped her throat. “Milk! Get milk!” She squirmed in her bed as she watched Soul disappear from her room again.

    “Fuck!” Black*Star cursed and detached their hands so he could hold his throat with his both hands. “This was stupid! Damn so stupid!”

    Soul ran inside of the bedroom first with two glasses of milk Black*Star and Maka devoured as Soul ran back into the kitchen. Their burning throats soothed only to a degree. He returned with various products. Chocolate ice-cream, bread, sugar and salt and Maka and Black*Star quickly ate of everything. Ice-cream, poured sugar in their mouths to then follow with salt before both of them starts chewing on bread.

    As soon as the burn started to reduce and fatigue weighted their limbs, Soul was far from being cool.

    “What the fuck?!” He cursed loudly. “I return home and I find _my best friend_ and _my girlfriend_ in her bed with a freaking wasabi pizza with jalapeño on! _We_ were supposed to eat one together! What the fuck Maka?!”

    Maka flinched at the loud voice of her weapon. Her teeth dug into her burning red bottom lip. “Sorry Soul, but Black*Star and I hadn’t hung out in so long and he really wanted to do it too and he came here with the pizza―”

    “And Carolina Reaper.” Black*Star heaved himself up on his arm before he collapsed back onto her bed.

    Soul raised his eyebrow. “Seriously? Carolina Reaper too?” Angrily he crossed his arms over his chest. “Geez, thanks. Two birds in one stone.”

    “There is still plenty left.” Maka sat up on her bed and crossed her legs. “If you want to, I could take another bite with you.”

    Soul’s eyes immediately softened. The anger he felt dripped off his body and disappeared. “Really? You would do that?”

    Maka nodded. “Of course.” Maka grabbed her slice she had begun on and a new to Soul, both of them had Carolina Reaper and Jalapeño on it. “I do want to share this experience with you too.” A smile stretched her face and her stomach tripped when Soul accepted the pizza slice and took a seat in front of her.

   “Let’s do this… special.” His hand laid over her, gently removing the pizza from his hands. He moved his own pizza in between them and leaned toward it. Maka quickly caught on and leaned toward the pizza slice. Their teeth dug into half of the Carolina Reaper and a Jalapeño with the wasabi cream instead of tomato sauce and cheese. Their teeth clashed and instantly when they pulled away, the burn begun.

    “Holy shit!” Soul cursed loudly and quickly laid the pizza slice into the box. “You were not kidding!”

    Maka squealed and swallowed her bite. “What do you think?! Black*Star and I faking it?!”

    Soul breathed heavily and collapsed on Maka, both of them panting, moaning and yelping in pain.

    “Dude!” Black*Star quickly heaved up on his arms. “That is what true love is!” He jumped off the bed and grabbed the pizza carton. “And now I will leave you alone to _connect_ by yourself. I think me and Tsubaki will do some pizza exchange.” He winked toward the two lovers on the bed screaming and clawing at their throats. “Enjoy the burn lovebirds!”


	2. Lost in the ether

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three years later and he stands in a phone booth, watching the girl he loves eating lunch.

**Lost in the ether** ****

His heart pounded in his chest. Like a sledgehammer would break cement walls and how he wished for his ribs to break. Never a day, an hour, a minute or a second did his heart not react of the thought of the girl he left behind.

   He leaned against the glass of the phone booth. With sorrowful eyes he gazed at the blond girl who stole his heart in high school. The girl he shared his lunch with daily. The girl he always sat beside in the library, gazing up at her quizzical face as she solved the mathematics problems. He knew in his junior year he loved her. He treasured her greatly. He cherished her more than the air he breathed. His lunch didn’t taste as good if he didn’t share it with her.

   But he was a coward.

   And now it was too late.

   She sat on a bench with her half-eaten sandwich at display. Her friends Tsubaki and Patty sat in front of her and beside her… sat her boyfriend. A guy with blond hair and blue eyes. His arm was wrapped around her they shared small loving gazes at each other. He picked up her sandwich and took a bite out of it before he laid it down on the plastic.

   She giggles at something he said with his mouth full and elbowed him in the side before she planted a kiss on his lips.

   His heart twisted with pain and his hand automatically clasped his hurt through the uniform of every shade of green.

   “I’m a fool.” He spoke into the grey phone. “I’m a coward.” His nails dug into the fabric. “What did I expect? After three and you’d still be waiting for me?” He sighed and closed his eyes. “I knew I should’ve said something. Confessed my feelings. I knew I should’ve taken you to prom. Should’ve dressed up in those ridiculous monkey costumes and confessed my love for you in those corny fashions I knew you secretively loved.” He opened them and gazed back at his love who smiled largely toward Tsubaki to then burst out laughing.

   “I knew my last chance for you to know was in the airport, but I was a fool in love with the balls of an ant. Those years I served, I spent every day thinking of you. Fighting for you. You were my courage, my strength and my desire to return home alive.” He bit his lower lip and to his dismay, his heart pounded just as strongly for her as it did his senior year of high school. “And now when I’m here, I was a fool thinking that no contact in three years and you’d still be waiting for me.” He paused and felt the item in his pocket weight heavily. “I’m not mad. It was expected. I mean, it wasn’t like you’d go on every day loving me like I love you without knowing if I was alive or dead.”

   His hand dug into his pocket and retrieved the banana and placed it on the payphone. “You’ve found someone because I was a fool for not even confessing my feelings. For not even finding out if you felt the same. I know that guy has to be a good one because you only deserve the best.” His fingers slipped from the yellow fruit and gripped the side of the payphone. “Not a man like me. I hope you get your happy ending you deserve just like in those chick flicks you adore. I’m going back again. This time I may not be as lucky.” He hung the phone on its original place. With one last glance toward the girl he loves, he exited the phone booth and headed toward the car to return to his duties.

   On the banana he left behind he’d scribbled “I’m bananas for you” with a sharpie, which would never be given to the girl who stole his heart.


	3. A letter from an idiot of a partner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So he was going to fix it. He was going to write an even better love letter. It was going to earn a frame of its own and she would throw away the current love letter. He could then admire her dreamy expression knowing it was his letter that brought it out.

**A letter from an idiot of a partner**

 

It was all the letter’s fault. The A4 paper filled with neatly written letters with the cute heart at the bottom. Not to forget the beautiful old golden frame she framed the letter in after a day she’d received it. He couldn’t forget the dreamy face as she read the letter over and over and over again, completely shutting him.

    He hated how the letter completely replaced him. She brought the framed letter wherever she went. To lunch, to school, to outings and even to bed! He hated every time he would lean toward her to read the signature of the bastard who dared to send a love letter to _his meister_ , but every time _she_ would bring the letter to her chest and glare at him like he peaked inside of her journal or something. Like he totally did until he got caught. She hid the journal now in her shoebox at the back of her closet _and_ she hadn’t written anything about the love letter!

    He stalked after her like a wolf on a prey. His eyes quickly scanned every male for signs of interest toward his meister. With disgust, he found plenty of possible writers behind the love letter. Like the freshmen Death Children who had a habit of waiting for her after class with flowers. He always had to chase them away or steer her away from them. He’d always been so careful to throw all of the love letters away and protect her from their evil guy hormones and dirty minds. So how, how in the world could one of them slip passed his defence and reached his precious meister?

    He hated it. He hated the letter, the stupid frame and his meister’s stupid reaction toward the love letter that wasn’t written by him.

    So he was going to fix it. He was going to write an even better love letter. It was going to earn a frame of its own and she would throw away the current love letter. He could then relax as she admired his letter. He could then admire her dreamy expression knowing it was his letter that brought them out.

    He sat down. With a paper bag of ridiculously expensive sheets of paper and an even more expensive red ink pen that the saleslady described as “the magical pen of love”. He wrote the name of his meister, the uncoolest girl who poisoned him with jealousy and made him go to the length of buying ridiculous items in order to help him put his feelings on paper.

    After many papers and neck-massaging later, he managed to finish his letter. He sent it to his meister and he waited.

    “Soul!” Maka screamed and knocked on his door before she entered. He groaned loudly and tugged his blanket over his head. “What is this?” He sighed heavily and removed the blanket as he let out a loud yawn. In her hand was the pink envelope with red heart stickers on it.

    “A love letter? I thought you could figure that out on your own after reading all those romantic books of yours.” He turned to his side, tugging the blanket closer to him

    “No, that’s not it at all. What is all of _this_ about?” She persisted and neared his bed, fully dressed in that ridiculously short skirt that showed off her long smooth legs and her fine ass.

    “Huh? I’ve no clue what you’re talking about.” He watched his meister roll her eyes.

    “What are you doing? I heard you ten minutes ago when you were at the door. I heard how you opened the mail drop and ran back to your room.”

    “It wasn’t me. That could’ve been Blair.”

    “It’s _6AM!_ Blair is sleeping like a rock!”

    “So? It could’ve been the delivery guy. No one is stupid enough to go to their crush’s home and drop a love letter, you know.”

    “Apparently you are.” She sighed and massaged the bridge of her nose. “What’s going on? You never take the time to write down your feelings. Even if they weren’t… eloquent written.”

    “What?” Soul threw his blanket away and swung his feet over the bed. “They were cool words!” His fists balled and his blood ran hot. He was angry at his meister for finding out it was him and she responds to his letter by completely ignoring his feelings he held toward her.

    “Oh really?” Maka crossed her arms over her chest. “For more than a page you explained to me how much of a lost case in the romance department I am because of my interest for books and my _‘daddy issues’_ ”

    “It is true!” Soul stood up from his bed and marched up to her. “Both you and I know how much Spirit fucked you up and that’s because you’ve been hung up on that love letter of yours!”

    “What love letter?”

    “You know what letter!” He paused. Waiting for realization to hit her, but her eyebrows stayed narrowed and her pink perfectly moisty lips slightly ajar. His blood cooled quickly and he shrunk under the gaze of his meister. “You know…” His insecurity slowly clawed their way up and burdened him once again. “The letter… the one with the heart… the golden frame.”

    She sighed heavily and shook her head. “Death… you’re such an idiot.”

    “Hey I’m not―”

    “That letter is from my mother.” She exited his room just to come back seconds later with the frame in her hands. “It’s a very personal letter from my mother. She said some very sweet words and it just felt like she was speaking to me. It felt like she hadn’t been gone for years when I read the letter.” She held the frame up and she tapped her index finger toward the signature of _’Kami Albarn’_.

    “… oh.”

    He was an idiot.

    “Yeah, oh.” A smile spread on her face as she took a step closer to him. “So… you meant the last part of your letter? About thinking _‘I’m uncool, but I would be the coolest girlfriend’_.”

    His cheeks heated up several degrees and he hoped she wouldn’t notice. She grinned wide toward him so it wasn’t difficult for him to guess he was as red as his eyes. “Y-yeah… you’re the coolest person I could ever wish for.”

    “Even though I’m a bookworm without a social life?”

    “Y-yeah.”

    Her grin quickly turned into a large smile. “Come on!” She lashed onto his hand and entwined their hands. “I think we should go out for breakfast to celebrate!” She started dragging him out of his room.

    His eyes widened as his stomach twirled with both overwhelming joy. He let her drag him out of the apartment and down the stairs, it wasn’t until the hot asphalt burned his feet he realized the uncool set of clothes he was wearing. “H-hold on a second! I’m still in my pyjamas!”


	4. Albino daddy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maka's bachelorette party isn't going the way she imagined it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is weird. I felt inspired by PSY's "daddy" song.

**Albino daddy**

Boring. That's the right word. Her bachelorette party was boring. Plain. Nowhere near Liz's legendary bachelorette party consisting of crutches to the face and umbrella cladded drinks. Her bachelorette party would go into the existence of being the most boring bachelorette party in the history of bachelorette parties.

She stirs the little champagne left in her empty glass. Her guests already tired and restlessly chatting in the paper lantern dressed backyard of Liz and Kid's mansion. The toilet papers caress her exposed legs and her veil covers her face from Liz's concerned eyes.

"I'm so sorry." Liz apologizes for the millionths time. "This wasn't planned. When the entertainment arrives, I swear to Death I'll fire them and kick their asses when they arrive."

Maka sighs heavily. "It's fine. I know it's not your fault." She was getting married. To Soul none the less. The love of her life. Their upcoming life would be as tame as ever. If there was a time in her life she wanted to live on the edge like her crazy friend Black*Star, it was on her bachelorette party.

Seems like a crazy night wasn't in her cards.

She fishes up the large bottle of champagne by her chair and pours herself another glass of champagne. Immediately she empties the glass in a matter of seconds, the dry liquid dehydrating her throat worse than the scorching Nevada sun.

"This isn't fine." Liz snatches the bottle from her and takes a large gulp of it. "This is your one last night of freedom of getting humped on by random guys in thongs. And they're freaking ruining everything."

"Whatever." Maka stands up and rips the toilet paper away from her waist. "Can we just… cancel everything?" She takes off her band saying _bachelorette_ , dropping it on the ground as if it was a heavy weight of disappointment. That's exactly what it is.

"Are you crazy?" Liz wraps her arm around Maka, tugging her close to her. "You deserve an awesome night. The night can't end on a boring note. What would that fiancé of yours say when he finds out your party rolled while his ruled?"

She bites her lower lip. Soul would definitely feel bad. Black*Star had climbed up their apartment wall in a ninja suit and kidnapped Soul to go on his bachelor party. With Black*Star handling his party, it was for sure going to be the wildest night in Soul's life. And when he found out hers stunk worse than a skunk, he would feel bad. Terrible in fact because her night wasn't as great as his.

"I don't want to embarrass myself anymore." She removes Liz's arm from around her. "I appreciate the effort, I had fun while it lasted. Now a calm bath is in my future." And crying and ice-cream. Maka turns on her heels and walks with sorrow in her steps.

"Hey, hey! Come one." Liz hurries after her and grabs her wrist. "We can still save this lame ass party. Let's go to a stripper club. I'll pay for that cutie Sharknado to give you a private lap dance."

She sighs loudly and rolls her eyes. "Liz. I'm not—"

She cuts off herself when the sound of a loud bass arouses. The bass comes closer and it shakes the ground they stand on. Music blasts throughout the neighbourhood. The guests along with Liz and Maka quizzically look in the direction the tune comes from. The music grows and wheels shrieks loudly.

A grin grows on Liz's face. "Finally they arrive."

Maka's eyes flutter as she watches Liz snap her fingers. As if on cue, their friends immediately scatter on a secret mission. Jacqueline and Liz howl as they carry a wooden table out on and the others gather chairs― is Kim holding handcuffs?!

Loudly wheels skid on concrete and Maka whips back toward the sound. "Yahoo!" Her eyes widen at the familiar voice. Around the corner appears a golf cart with a trailer pulled behind it. Soul and Black*Star sit in the front seat with a bottle of vodka in each hand, laughing loudly as they skid to a stop in front of her.

"Soul?!" Maka screams over the booming speakers attached to the trailer. Her jaw hit the ground when he and Black*Star stumbled out of the golf cart. In assless chaps. With a dick drawn on his cheek. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Oh shoot!" Soul's drunken eyes lay on her as he supports himself against the golf cart, dropping his bottle of vodka on the ground. "Hey guys!" He waves toward the others. They too wear leather assless chaps. "It's Maka's bachelorette party we crashed!"

What in the world had they done? The golf cart was marked with … a stripper business on the outskirts of Death City, and the assless chaps, where did they get their hands on _those?!_

"Well, well," Liz snickers as she slowly near them. "Look at who hijacked my strippers' golf cart. I didn't expect _you_ to be the ones behind the delay."

Maka whirls around to her friend, stares at her with surprise. "You wanted the strippers to arrive in a _golf cart?!_ "

She shrugs her shoulders. "Yeah, I mean, having them arrive in a cop uniform is old. I wanted to spice it up a little bit."

"Hold on!" Kilik shouts as he holds onto the side of the trailer and stumbles on the spot. With nipple clamps dangling from his nipples as if they were this year's must have accessory. "Freeze!" How much did they even drink? "We could strip!" Kilik shrieks loudly as if he got the most amazing idea ever. "We're already prepared!"

"Yeah!" Soul lights up as if it _really_ was a good idea. "Dibs on my waifu!"

"We're not even married yet!"

_Click!_

Her eyes snap down toward the cold metal handcuff on her wrist. She glares at Kim who tugs at her hand. "Now this bachelorette's getting interesting." Maka splutters as Kim drags her toward the chair. Soul stumbles after her with a ridiculous wide grin on his face as if he caught the cream. Kim pushes her down on a chair and horror sets in when the handcuffs click awfully loudly. She pulls at the cold metal and her mouth widens with shock.

She's stuck.

"Waifuuuuu~" Soul drunkenly whispers as he clumsily climbs up on the table. The music blasts through the speakers and a male sings in a foreign language to an upbeat rhythm. He trips on his own feet as he shakes his booty, his cheeks wiggling in his assless chaps. Maka stares with horror at her soon-to-be husband poor attempt at twerking, his but cheeks were like a target for her hungry eyes.

Her fiancé is a bundle of social anxiety. Always the one to occupy the dark corner at every single party and the one to avoid eye contact with strangers. The same skittish man is on the table with his ass hanging out and rubbing his nipples as if they were sore.

"Hey!" He exclaims, shaking his messy hair to the beat. "Where did you get that body from?" He claps his hands and swings them high and kicks his legs oddly. The move reminds her a lot of a dance move she'd caught Soul dancing once in the kitchen. He sings along with the female singer. "I got it from my daddy." He shouts out and runs his hand through his hair. "It's true! My daddy's albino as fuck! You'll see at the wedding waifu!"

Maka gasps loudly when his foot slips and he tumbles down from the table and hits the ground hard. "Soul!"

He twists on the ground, groaning as he heaves himself up on his arms. "'m fine." Slowly he moves his half-lidded eyes toward her, scratching his neck. "My albino body's better than dad's."

Whatever Black*Star had given him, it's really scary.

The guys who arrived with Soul had scattered and give the other ladies lap dances. Kilik thrusts the air in front of Jacqueline's face and his nipple clamps slapping against his skin loudly. Liz's getting a very intimate and touchy make out session from her husband. No restrains there.

"Waifu~" Before she knows it, hands grab her cheeks and a wet hot tongue slips through her lips. She squeaks with surprise as Soul drops down on her lap.

Her bachelorette party had started out decent, went to boring and bland, but with a dynamic entrance by the man of her dreams, her bachelorette party wasn't so bad.

Her muscles relax as she kisses him back passionately, feeling his bare warm butt cheeks on her exposed thighs. His alcohol-drenched breath burns her lips and gums like an inferno was injected into her mouth. His hands cup her face and holds her close to him. The handcuffs rattle as she pulls at them, wanting and longing to touch him.

He repels from her lips and he grins wide at her. "Bad bachelorette. Stay in your seat." He dives for more and she rejoices in the sensation of his lips and the cuffs digging into her wrists.

Maybe her bachelorette party wouldn't turn out as bad as she thought it would.


	5. Face of the beast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a far kingdom far away, an unknowing princess is about to meet her soul mate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody! This is something I wrote because I was inspired and I felt like procrastinating editing chapter two of "Joke's on you".

**Face of the beast**

Once upon a time there was a kingdom. A kingdom far unlike its neighbours. A kingdom that arouse from the ashes and grew in strength until it outshined the sun with its glory. A kingdom that once was looked down upon its unusual traditions and now the king and queen ruled the country with an iron fist.

And the kingdom's name was Death City.

Death City and its neighbours blossomed in the time of peace, good health and good harvest. The kingdom was stable and not a threat from the outside world could be spotted.

But their peace would soon come crumbling.

The royal princess hummed delightfully on a lullaby her chamber maiden had sung to her before she fell asleep. Her feet dangled playfully and her pigtails bobbled. Eyebrows drawn together as her quill ran over the parchment.

The double doors shrieked open and the princess whipped around. The queen proudly strolled inside with a large vivid smile playing on her flush lips.

The queen's smile infected the princess and she jumped off her chair. "Mother!" She ran up to the queen and immediately started to tug on her hand. "I want to show you my drawing!"

"Maka darling, were you not supposed to study the fine arts of dining?" The queen's lecture was lacklustre as she let the princess lead her forward.

"I know mother. I suddenly felt inspired and I simply had to draw." The smile immediately melted off her face at the implication. Heart fluttered with happiness for her daughter, but worry for what was about to come.

The two royalties came to a stop in front of the princess's table. The princess excitedly pointed toward the parchment on the wooden surface and the quill thoughtlessly discarded beside it. The queen leaned closer and horror blossomed on her face, hand covering her mouth at the site of the beast on the parchment.

Death City was a kingdom of strange traditions. Every first born of royal blood was destined by Lord Death to find the perfect match to rule the kingdom with. For generations the perfect match had always been found among nobles or high middle-class, people of high intellect and hearts large enough to fit the whole kingdom.

For the first time, the princess was destined to marry a beast.

"I refuse to accept this!" The king of Death City slammed his fist down in the company of the kingdom's wisest men and women. "My daughter will not partner with _a beast!_ " The drawing of the beast crinkled in his hand. Sharp teeth exposed and eyes longing to feed on the princess's soul.

"My king, my queen." A man with pale hair in a suit rose from his chair and bowed deep toward the royal couple. Even the emergency meeting hadn't stopped him from dressing up. "With no disrespect, but how could we possibly disobey destiny? She is five years old and has bonded with her partner in soul. She drew the face of her partner. How could we possibly stop fate?"

"I do not care how!" The king slammed his fist once again on the oak table, the members of the parliament flinched and the queen sobbed with despair. "This has to be stopped at all costs!"

"My king." A woman with golden locks rose beside the man, lowering her head with respect toward the royalty. "Should we not trust destiny to make the right choice of mate for the royal princess? Fate has not failed us yet, maybe it will not fail us now."

"It is a beast." The queen whimpered, holding a handkerchief to her mouth. "It may look human, but it has teeth like a wolf and hungry eyes like a starved one. A monster like that cannot possibly be fit to be my daughter's future mate."

The pale haired man pushed his glasses up further on his nose and nodded understandingly. "I suggest we build a wall around the kingdom."

"A wall?" The woman beside him echoed.

"Yes. A wall. It will control the entering and exiting of citizens and travellers and it will keep this beast away from Death City."

"A wall…" The king rubbed his chin, wondering. "Build it."

The very next day, the workers of Death City started building the wall. As the wall rose higher and higher toward the sky, the young princess Maka grew older and older. The pictures of the beast grew in numbers and in detail. The simple stick figure turned into meaty limbs and skinny cheeks and jaw. Eyes half-lidded as if focusing on its next prey. As the princess unknowingly was more and more intrigued by the beast, the royal couple grew more and more worried for their daughter.

The guards guarding the gate to the kingdom were well aware of the danger that would approach the kingdom. Night and day they guarded the gate to keep the beast away from the princess. The princess completely left in the dark about the bond between the beast she drew and the upcoming fate.

As she grew older, the royal couple began to fear the beast's soon arrival, and her freedom was taken away. The princess only allowed to stroll around the castle's garden supervised once a week.

The walls weren't enough to keep her away from her destiny.

She breathed heavily and fast as she pumped her arms. Her servant's shoes she'd borrowed slapped on the grass. "Princess!" She glanced behind her, seeing silhouettes of horses and guards on their backs with lanterns lighting up the dark night like stars. Quickly she dived into the forest, twigs breaking under her shoes and branches slapping her face.

She couldn't get caught. Not now when she was finally outside of the kingdom's walls and seeing the outside. Not after being locked away in the royal castle for years. The outside was calling for her. She _needed_ to get out.

Her hands covered her face as she ran blindly in the dark forest, hearing hooves galloping. The lanterns were out of sight from the trees and leaves.

She was safe.

The princess came to a stop, resting her palms on her knees and breathed deeply. Relief washed over her and a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Although the guards would look day and night for her and turn every stone in order to find her, she knew her freedom was limited. It was only a matter of time before they found her.

Her back straightened and she continued to move further into the forest, feeling her way forward with her hands. Slowly she moved leaves out of the way and carefully stepped onward. If she'd known she would be wandering in a dark forest, she would've taken the time to grab a lantern. Never before had she experienced such darkness. The royal gardens were always brightly lit and so were the corridors. She could barely see her hand in front of her.

She shrieked with surprise when her foot met air. She fell, crashed on dirt and tumbled down a slope fast. Her world spun around in circles. Her scream overpowered the sound of twigs breaking. Bright orange bounced in and out and around her vision. Finally she collided with warm dirt. The wind was knocked out of her and she gasped for air. A bone fire flickered only three yards in front of her, spinning around in her vision.

A groan sounded from below her and instantly she looked down. Dark eyes of a man stared at her. "Shit lady."

"Oh dear!" Even though she was dizzy beyond belief, she scrambled off him. "I am very sorry, Sir!"

The unknown man rubbed his chest as he slowly sat up. The fire lit up his features. His eyes weren't black, they were a deep red. A colour she hadn't seen anywhere but in the crimson roses in the royal garden. His hair shone a bright white as if the moon had blessed it with its glory. He grimaced in pain, exposing sharp teeth like a wolf's.

Her mouth fell open and without a shred of manner her mother had taught her she stared blatantly at him. "You are the man from my drawings."

He cracked an eye open and cocked his eyebrow at her. "Huh?"

"You look exactly like the character I have been drawing for years!"

"Miss, I think you might have hit your head―"

"Princess!" Her head whipped toward the sound. Oh no. They must've heard her when she fell.

"You are the princess?" His eyebrows disappeared under his bangs as he stared baffled at her.

Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly as she stared into his deep ruby eyes. Eyes more beautiful than she could've ever witness. Her heart tumbled in her chest, tugging toward his direction. She'd been drawing him for a long time. She was intrigued by him. She didn't want to separate herself from him. She _needed_ to be with him.

"Yes…" She whispered to the sound of hooves breaking twigs and the light from countless of lanterns through the leaves and trunks.

The king rode to the bonfire. To his relief saw his daughter in dirty servant's clothing, but no visible wounds. Horror made his blood freeze in his veins when his eyes suddenly stopped at a white haired beast with eyes the colour of blood and sharp teeth that could tear off flesh from the bone.

He looked at his daughter's mate.


	6. Face of the beast Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People over at Tumblr seemed to really like this concept so I decided to make it flesh it out into a two-shot and show Soul and Maka's journey of love.

The moonlight shone into the room as Soul fiddled with his traveller's mantle nervously, gazing at the large pompous bed the princess had told him was their finest guest bedroom, which kings and queens had used when visiting Death City. The room was larger than the largest market he'd visited in a couple of kingdoms away, with curtains made of the finest silk and desks and coffee tables of deep and rich mahogany.

He wondered how the royal chamber was like.

His fingertips ran over the cool smooth fabric, eyes locked at the plethora of pillows made from every fabric to the guest's comfort. Shit. He would've been cool with sleeping on a mattress on the floor.

The door creaked open and King Spirit entered without any sort of permission. He didn't need any. His royal persona brightened the room with superiority and Soul quickly bowed respectfully at the King. The King's eyes sharpened at him and Soul shrunk in his clothes at the threatening gaze.

"I am going to make it clear," he stared Soul down with his superiority. "You are not to seduce my daughter into your evil claws."

He cocked his eyebrow. "Why the hell would I?"

"I know you are after her."

"Look, I don't know who the hell you think I am, but I just met her and there's nothing heart-throbbing about a girl with fat ankles crashing into me."

"Why you―" His eyes darkened and fists tightened with intentions of starting a brawl in the middle of the night, to then brightened with resolution and he scoffed toward him. He cleared his throat. "I'm here to make a proposal."

"Huh?"

"You heard me. If you stay away from my daughter, be rude to her if you must, and leave her without promising her to return, I will reward your weight in gold."

Soul's eyes widened with shock and his mouth fell wide open, staring at the King with surprise. "Seriously?"

The King nodded. "Yes. I want you to make sure she hates you and wishes to never see you again."

Suspicion seeded as he peered at the King and he maintained a calm facade for the first time since he entered the room. Something was up. He couldn't put his finger on it, but the lack of facial expression from the King and the request… it had his skin crawling with uneasiness. Something within him whispered to reject, to madly refuse the King's offer and continue his life, but gaining his weight in gold would solve his financial struggles and he could continue his travel around the world without a worry. He didn't even know the Princess. The Princess meant nothing to him. It would be a fool's decision to reject the offer of a fortune for the sake of some Princess's feelings.

Soul eventually nodded. "Alright. I'll play along."

A large satisfied smile grew on the King's face. "Excellent."

The first couple of days were easy to avoid the curious Princess. Every question she asked, he either ignored or answered with a nod or a shake of his head. From the corner of his eye, he could catch the smile playing on the King's lips. As the days went on, the Princess grew more persistent and short-tempered with him.

His back rested against the hard surface of the tree and leaves tickled his cheeks, branches pulling at his wrists as he let the brush run over his paper. The black ink curled and curved, growing for every line he drew as he tried to accurately capture the beauty of the white flower on the bush he'd decided to hide in this time.

His brush roughly splattered ink on his paper when footsteps and his name rang in the garden. He flinched at the Princess's voice calling for him. Crap. Couldn't the girl take the hint? Even though he ignored her, offended her and avoided her, she still persisted on finding him.

The leaves of the bush rattled and pushed aside, the Princess's angry flushed cheeks came into view and eyes narrowed as if sharpening knives between her eyelids.

Even though how well he thought he hid, she would always found him.

"Geez, woman, how the hell do you keep on finding me?"

She scowled at him and forced out. "Women's intuition."

He blew a raspberry and turned the other way. "Yeah, you found me, now leave me be."

"No listen to me, you punk!" She vigorously fisted his collar and successfully attracted his attention. Eyes shocked beyond belief at the fragile-looking Princess's usual innocent appearance that was replaced by courage and anger. "I didn't invite you here to be a prissy little brat and hide away. I don't know what goes on inside that tiny little brain of yours but I can see you're not a rude person." He choked on his spit. "Now stop being a punk or I'll slap some sense into you."

He gulped down his nerves as his body heated up to an unbearable degree. The sweet smiles she ordinary wore and the cute bouncing pigtails had him fooled that never could such a sweet-looking girl have such a side. He bit down his lower lip as his hand tightened like an anaconda around his brush.

It was attractive.

"Um… ah," he stuttered. "… o-okay."

"Okay what?"

"Fine! I-I won't hide." Damn. He'd no clue he'd a sore spot for terrifying and strong women up until now.

A smile broke like the crack of dawn, branches slapped back into place and she straightened her back as she offered him her welcoming hand. The corner of his lips twitched as he put away his brush in his other hand and accepted her hand. She heaved him up and her blazing emerald eyes found the brush and the parchment in his hand. "Do you draw?"

He nodded stiffly, noticing the warmth her hand radiated unlike his cold and beaten fingers. "I do. I picked it up on my travel around the world."

"May I see some of your drawings?"

A smirk blossomed and she seemed to have forgotten their still entangled hands. "Only if you show me some of yours." Red appeared in the background right passed Maka's head and it was the King, silently watching them. Quickly Soul retrieved his hand and ran it through his hair nervously.

He was in trouble.

The Princess face heated with colour and nodded toward him. "It is a deal."

He knew the King wasn't pleased with him. Multiple times the King lured in the background and glared disapprovingly at them as Maka would make any excuse to touch him. Everything from placing her hand above his as he painted a particular difficult line or a comforting brush on his shoulder. Not that he was complaining. It was surprisingly… pleasant. Until the King glared at him and made him jump across the room to get away from her.

…

The King rested his elbows on the railing of his balcony as he watchfully gazed at the Beast stuttering as his darling daughter kicked off her shoes, trying to convince her to let him climb up the tree to bring down the mysterious flying device they'd received from a successful inventor. He scuffed. As if the Beast had feelings.

His plan had failed.

The Beast had betrayed his trust and decided to seduce his daughter to then kidnap her. He knew letting the Beast inside of his castle was a bad idea. At least now he could keep an eye on it. Now he could efficiently come up with a plan to tackle this matter.

Beast's cheeks heated as the Princess stepped onto his clasped hands and heaved her up in the tree. The King's stomach twisted with disgust at the laughter between Beast and Princess Maka. How the Beast could be his darling daughter's soul mate was beyond his understanding.

"Are you spying on them again?"

The King didn't need to check who it was. The queen came to a halt beside him as Princess Maka freed the flying device from the tree and threw it, soaring away from them.

"This charade needs to come to an end. Out of all the people she could choose, she chose a beast."

"I do not know." Princess Maka climbed down before Beast and she had a screaming match. Eventually Beast held his arms out in panic as she slowly leaned backward from the branch. His fists tightened and Beast caught her fell to the ground, breaking out laughing in the process. "I have never before seen her so… peaceful."

He snorted loudly. "Peaceful? The Beast is grooming her! As soon as it has gained our trust it will kidnap her and feast on her flesh under the full moon!"

"I believe you have heard too many ghost stories."

"The appearance never fools anyone."

"Really? You do know you still look like the bachelor you were when I had not yet bonded with you."

His face twisted with distaste at his past. "That was low, sweetheart."

"Just as low as you are to Sir Evans."

His eyes directed back toward Beast and Princess Maka still wrapped up with each other on the ground. Disgusting.

He needed to put a stop to this.

He knocked at the Princess's door and immediately it was ripped open, revealing a beaming Maka. "You know you do not have to knock."

He licked his suddenly dry lips and snorted shortly after. "Nah, wouldn't want to accidentally witness your fat ankles."

Her punch was lacklustre and she tried to shield her smile with her hair, but his watchful eyes always caught onto her smiles. "Watch it. You might earn a book to your cranium."

The plethora of portraits of him were scattered around her room, covering the walls with his face from every angle, she even hung a portrait of him on the ceiling above her bed so she could wake up to his face. At first it was… odd. Every portrait of him looked exactly like him. How she'd managed to draw identical portraits of him before she met him was a mystery to him.

"I asked the chefs to bring a platter of fruit we could draw."

"Alright." The door shrieked as she closed it behind him.

"Please make yourself comfortable."

He swallowed loudly as he followed the Princess inside of her humongous room that was larger than the bed and breakfasts he'd stayed at occasionally. Rooms filled with luxurious golden silk curtains, golden frames and the most massive golden bed with pillows with golden flowers that had to be embroidered with melted coins. Everything in her room was golden success fit for the crown princess.

Stiffly he wandered to one of the many couches and took a seat. A cute giggle came from her mouth as her silk white glove covered her luscious lips. "I'll go and get the materials."

"Do you want any help?" He called after her moving form.

"No thank you."

His clammy hands gripped his wooden box with his painting tools and a piece of parchment. The Princess returned shortly after with her own high quality equipment and dumped it on the coffee table. A knock on the door and the Princess invited the person in. A young female in a maiden uniform entered with a platter full of pompous fruits glistering in the sun light leaking through the balcony window.

"I bring you your order, Princess." The maiden bowed deeply and with trembling knees, she made her way toward the table. Her eyes stayed away from him and she nervously chewed on her lower lip. She lowered the platter and he noticed her hands quivering to the point the fruits trembled.

His eyes evaded the clearly terrified maiden. It reminded him of people with high pitchforks and torches chasing him out of their village and priests with garlic necklace decorating their neck as they sprinkled holy water on him and tried to rebuke the demon sleeping within him.

He was a monster.

The Princess had almost made him forget.

Almost.

His head whipped to the side and the Princess's warm hand rested on his shoulder, a warm smile on her face as the door slammed loudly from the fleeing maiden. His heart delightfully stumbled on its own beat as her thumb caressed his shoulder.

Almost.

…

Soul laid awake staring up at the plethora of angles swirling through the sky as naked as they entered the world. He couldn't stop thinking about the Princess's radiant face and blazing emerald eyes. Her kindness was heart-warming and her touches made him think that perhaps, he wasn't the worst thing in the world. The civilians that had hollered monster and called for the guards when Maka showed him around the kingdom, made him remember he was nothing than his looks; a disgusting beast. As much as he could pretend he was normal with the Princess, the reality was he was a disgusting animal.

He didn't deserve the Princess's kindness.

Tomorrow would his invitation to stay at the castle expire and he would continue his adventures travelling the world.

He would leave the Princess behind.

His nails dug into his chest above his aching heart. His stay at the castle had gone from the lowest of valleys to the highest mountain top. The Princess approached him like he'd never experienced by someone outside of his family. Her eyes never evaded his. She never flinched when he moved. Her smile only widened when he smiled wide, exposing his teeth. She made him feel like he wasn't cursed with the appearance of a monster.

But he didn't deserve her.

She was too kind, too brave, too strong, too much! He'd never met someone he could completely relax and be utterly at peace around. She was like the friend he'd never had. He was happy he didn't ignore her.

His eyes squeezed shut as if he could deny the offer's existence. He'd gone back on his word. The King had disapprovingly glared at him multiple times. He knew he was in trouble. Whatever the King had in store, he was sure it wasn't going to be good.

He sat up in his bed when a knock on his door echoed in his room. "Come in." The door creaked open and the candle in the Princess's hand brightened her face. Her night gown caressed the floor as she soared inside like a bird, closing the door behind her. "Aren't you supposed to be asleep, Princess?"

"I could ask you the same." She took a seat on the edge of the bed right beside him, placing the candle on his night stand.

"Why are you here?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Women's intuition."

It was her excuse for everything. It was as if, every time he felt down, she always appeared out of thin air or silently comforted him with either a hand on his shoulder or his back. She was always there. For some reason.

"Women's intuition is weird."

"What happened to you?" His eyes fluttered with confusion before he knew what she was looking at. Her eyes were fixated at his bare chest where pale scars littered his torso and biceps.

"Um," his hands tightened on his blanket. "Just scars."

Her hands slapped on his chest. "These are not 'just scars'." Her eyes critically examined the scars littering his chest and fingers ran over the pale bumps on his skin. Her face twisted with disgust as her fingers ran over a large cut on his bicep.

Of course she would be disgusted with him. His appearance always scared people away. It was only a matter of time before she would be hightailing away from him. He knew this all was too good to be tr―

"These were not an accident, were they?" Her voice dropped. His mouth fell open with shock as her thumb sooth the scar as if she could erase its presence. "Someone did this to you."

His heart flipped in his chest and his hand placed above her much smaller one. "Yeah. From scared citizens."

"That doesn't justify their behaviour." Anger fuelled her voice. "I swear if anyone dares or has the slightest of intention of harming you, I will protect you."

He wouldn't dare mess with the Princess. When she got angry, he wanted to be miles away from her. Never again did he want to be the target of her rage. Never.

But being miles away from her left a sour taste in his mouth.

"I don't blame them. I'm a monster."

Her nails painfully dug into his flesh. "You are definitely not."

"I am. I―"

Her hands slapped over his mouth. "Don't." Her eyes sparkling with fire and determination. "You are not a monster." She spoke calmly. "A monster destroys. A monster hurts people. A monster lacks emotions. You are nothing like a monster." Her eyes fell down to his wounded chest. "Your scars prove it."

He removed her hands from his mouth, tilting her head to meet his eyes. "I…" his voice husky. She stared into his eyes and the warm light from the candle made her skin look unbearably soft. "So if a serial killer had scars he wouldn't be a monster."

He deserved the punch to his chest.

"There is actually a place I want to show you." She broke the silence after minutes of sitting apart from each other. She looked over at him, her loose hair perfectly framing her face.

He got dressed in his shirt as the sleeping pants he'd been given hung loosely on his bony hips. He offered his travel mantle which she humbly accepted. The Princess knew her way around the castle. When the guards turned their backs to them, she tugged at his hand and they silently tiptoed around the castles corridors until the humid fresh air hit their faces.

"It's this way." Their backs stayed hunched as they quickly hurried passed bushes and trees toward the edge of the garden not to be spotted by the too many guards securing the castle. "I always come here when I cannot sleep." They rounded a tree and the silhouette of a hill came into his view. The Princess led him up the hill and the bright full moon shone down upon them. She shrieked loudly as she fell forward, instinctively he dived after her and they tumbled down the hill. They came to a stop at the bottom of the hill, limbs entwined and the Princess laid diagonally on his chest. They found themselves laughing at the ridiculous situation they found themselves in.

His laughter abruptly ended when floating lights caught his attention. Countless of tiny warm yellow lights floated peacefully around them as if the stars had descended from the heavens and blessed them with their presence.

"Those are fireflies." The Princess spoke as if she'd read his mind. "They are very rare around these areas, but they seem to enjoy staying near the trees at the edge of the royal garden."

"Fireflies." He tasted the word in his mouth.

"Yes. They are certainly very intriguing and entertaining to watch." She made no attempt at removing herself from him to, oddly, his liking. Even though his arm was uncomfortably stretched over his chest and then crushed under the Princess's back and he didn't know his leg could twist in such an angle, he found himself enjoying the closeness. His eyes darted down her not so hidden legs and her exposed ankles. He knew if anyone caught them now, he would be in trouble for associating so intimately with the Princess.

"Soul, may I ask you a favour?" She broke the silence.

"Of course, Princess."

"Please, call me Maka."

"Princess, I couldn't―"

"It would be an honour." He found her eyes sparkling brighter than the fireflies surrounding them and were far more fair and interesting.

His mouth opened and closed repeatedly as he tried to capture the right words to speak. "If you wish…" a grin spread on his face. "Your royal highness."

He totally deserved the slap to his thigh. "I'm being serious."

"And so am I. Do you know what kind of punishment I would receive if anyone caught me addressing you by your first name?"

"And I would cover your back the way you have covered mine."

He found himself chuckling heartily. "Okay… Maka."

A smile spread on her face and she cleared her throat. "There was actually something I wanted to tell you. Now when you're leaving at the break of dawn."

Worry settled in his gut at the sudden nervousness she cladded her face with. She untangled their limbs and sat beside him with her legs drawn up toward her chest. "I know my parents are expecting me to find a husband to marry soon." She fiddled with her hands as her eyes evade his. "And I know I have found the person I wish to spend the rest of my life with."

His hand swung to his chest and his nails dug into his flesh right above the excruciating pain exploding in his chest. Never before had he experienced such an agonizing hurt before in his life, and he'd witnessed a lot. The idea of Maka marrying someone made him feel like she cut off his limbs one by one. He knew he was leaving and couldn't enjoy her company but… not another man. No.

"It is you, Soul."

Ice spread from his spine throughout his body. Him?

"I have always felt connected to you. Like I understood you better than I understood my own parents."

He was a monster. A beast. No one could ever love him. Let alone Maka.

"It is silly. I have known them my whole life and yet I feel like I have known you since I was born instead of a couple of weeks."

He didn't deserve anyone. He didn't deserve Maka. He couldn't punish her by cuffing her to his side. He couldn't hurt her so.

"Please say something."

He couldn't.

"Soul?" Her hand placed on his shoulder, thumb rubbing the exposed flesh. "Are you okay?"

He couldn't accept her love.

"I-I'm sorry." He abruptly stood up. "I-I can't accept your hand." He turned on his heel and quickly hurried away from her to her calling his name. She didn't follow him. He snuck back into his room, clenching his chest at the hurt where it only grew. The thought of marrying Maka was too good to be true. He enjoyed her company more than anyone else, but he wasn't like his brother. He couldn't charm her panties off like his brother could and he was disgusting and not handsome as Wes. Everybody loved Wes while everybody hated him.

He couldn't stay. He packed up his things and strolled down the corridors, this time not caring the looks and scowls from the guards. He left the castle to continue where he'd left off, before Maka had suddenly fallen on him. Not caring about the reward he'd been promised to break Maka's heart.

…

"I knew this would happen." The King spoke with superiority with his hands clasped behind his back. "This was inevitable. It was a beast and beasts do what they do best, hurt innocent people."

"Oh hush." The queen crossed her arms over her chest. "Do not speak so foul about our daughter's soul mate."

"It's gone and now she can bond with a new and honourable man." He strolled back and forth in the King and Queen's master bedroom. "She will forget about it in a few days."

The Queen's mouth fell open as she backpedalled with disgust at her husband's statement. "I cannot believe you said that."

From outside of the room, Maka went down the corridor to speak to her parents when she caught the yelling voice of her mother within their room. She wiped away her tears as she pressed her ear to the door.

"I bonded with you when all you were was a disgusting disloyal cheating immature man. Even though I had bonded with you you still went out with girls." She furiously yelled at her husband who took off his large crown to run his hand through his hair. "Believe me, if I could, I would've broken the bond with you."

"At least I am a man―"

"And he's more of a man than you have ever been!"

"It has fooled you, darling. It has sunk his manipulating claws into your mind. Next it's going to come for you."

"He's not a beast!" Maka flinched at the sheer volume from her mother. "Can you not care for a second that our daughter refuses to eat and come out of her room because _her soul mate_ has left?" Her eyes fluttered with confusion. Soul mate?

"This is for her best. When she realizes it isn't going to come back she can finally move on and find a more suitable soul mate."

"You cannot break a bond between soul mates."

A large sinister grin spread on the King's face. "She will be forced to find someone new when the Beast… disappears."

Maka stiffened on the other side of the door. She was well aware of her father's disproval of Soul. She knew he would rather have Soul thousands of miles away from her. But was he implying what she thought he was…?

"You would not dare."

"Oh yes I do. Once the Beast is slaughtered, she can find a new soul mate."

Her fists tightened when fear for Soul paralyzed her body, quickly replaced by blinding hot red rage. She slammed the door open, the King and Queen jumping at the sheer volume. "If you do…" Her voice dipped threateningly as she stormed toward her parents. "I will cut off your head and serve it to the pigs!"

Her father whimpered and immediately shrunk at the murderous presence of his daughter. "B-b-but s-s-sweeth―"

"No!" She came to a stop in front of him and roughly shoved her index finger in his chest. "If you even as much as _think_ about hurting him, I will reject the crown." She shoved her finger at his chest repeatedly for every sentence. "Then I will leave to be with Soul and if you as much as _breathe_ his name, I will forever forget you. You will not have every existed in my life."

He pouted and bit his lower lip. Defeated by his own daughter.

She directed her lethal gaze toward her mother. "And you will tell me everything about this 'soul mate' you seem to be awfully familiar with."

A smile played on her mother's lips as she nodded proudly at her daughter. "Of course."

…

She left. Her mother had insisted on bringing one guard to accompany on her quest to find Soul. After her mother had explained her weird obsession drawing Soul and her odd and sudden connection to him, it all made sense. They were destined to be together. They were always meant to be together. He rejected the wealth her father had promised him.

But Soul had left her.

It put doubt in her mind. Could a soul mate bond only be one-sided? If he loved her, then he would've stayed with her, right? He wouldn't have left.

She needed answers.

Even though he was gone, what she'd thought was her intuition, was her bond with Soul. It was much vaguer now when he was far away, but she could still feel it and trace his steps. She and her guard rode day and night until on the fourth day at noon they came to a stop in front of a shady bed and breakfast. With balled hands and anger making her blood boil, she ordered her guard to take the day off and stormed inside, up the stairs and banged her fist on the door.

"I know you are in there!" She hollered and slammed her fists on the old wooden door.

Only a second later the door knob clicked and the door swung open. Instantly the bond shivered pleasantly when her eyes laid on him. Dark bags decorated his eyes and messy hair going in every direction. Her hands tightened to the point of her nails painfully digging into her palms.

"What are you doing here?"

"What I'm doing here?" She pushed him and he stumbled backwards. "You left!" She pushed him again. He stumbled and fell backward on his bed, the hay under the sheet crinkled loudly. "You didn't say g―" She cut herself off. Her eyes settled a piece of coal beside a parchment with a coal drawing of her. Her pigtails went down her shoulders and she gazed over her shoulder, whatever she stared at, it made her happy since her eyes sparkled and smile wide, showing off her teeth. The lines were shaky and the shadows were a little bit flawed, but it was a beautiful drawing he'd put down a lot of his time on.

He'd taken the time to draw her. He wasn't rich and the little parchment he had he'd used one to draw her. She grasped the parchment and caressed her thumb over her shoulder.

"How did you find me…?" He asked. "Oh wait, let me guess, women's intuition?"

Her anger melted off her and she looked him in his red eyes. "No." She shook her head. "I need to talk to you about that." The hay beside him crinkled when she took a seat beside him. "I know this sounds weird but I want you to have an open mind and consider it."

She explained everything. How it never had been her intuition, but her bond to him as his soul mate. She explained how for generations the royal family had soul mates, their destined partner for life, and the royal child would end up drawing the face of the soul mate.

"So you're saying… I'm your soul mate…?" He whispered, bangs covering his eyes and his hair even more unruly.

She nodded and placed her hand on his clasped hands resting in between his legs. "You are. I can feel the bond we share."

He slowly shook his head. "This can't be. I don't feel it. I can't be your soul mate." His voice grew rushed. "You can't be mine. You must be mistak―"

"I'm not." She cupped his cheeks and steered his face to her, forcing him to look into her eyes. His eyes were distraught as if the news were too much. "I know what I'm feeling and I truly sincerely love you."

"You don't love me."

"I do."

"You don't even know me."

"The little I know is good and I trust our bond as soul mates."

"I don't want a soul mate."

She retrieved her hands as if he'd burned her, standing upright and backed away as if he stabbed her right in her heart. Pain coursed through her veins and the bond shrieked with agony and if it was a person it would be scratching its face wildly due to the pain. Her knees bumped into the nightstand and she pressed her palms against the wall.

His eyes widened and he shot up. "Shit. I didn't mean―"

"What?" She snarled. "You don't want me. That's what you mean."

"No. No, that's not at all what I meant." He desperately ran his hand through his hair. "I love you too."

Her heart skipped a beat. "You love me?"

"Yes― no! What I was supposed to say is I've a brother."

"What?"

"He looks similar to me. I mean― he doesn't look weird. He's the same features― he's better. You could've mistaken me for your true soul mate."

"Soul."

"He's the better brother― better friend― he would be a better soul mate to you―"

"Soul!" He flinched at the power in her voice. "Do not take my feelings to lightly." He shifted his eyes to the floor as his shoulders shamefully pulled up to his ears. " _You_ are my soul mate. _You_ are the one I love. I do _not_ want your brother or anybody else."

"I'm not the one for you."

"Do you like someone else?"

"Never! There is no one else than you."

Her hands balled and her eyes stung with tears. "I need to know Soul. No more mixed signals." She bravely took a step toward Soul. "Do you want to be with me?"

He bit his lower lip and looked away from her. Hands tightened as if an internal battle was being fought within him. Silence hung between them as he stared dead into the wall.

"Soul…?" She reached out toward him and he chided away from her. She bit her lower lip and lowered her outstretched hand. She ripped her gaze away from him and slowly nodded as her being was breaking. "I understand…" She breathed out.

"It's not like that." Instantly he moved in her way when she was about to walk pass him.

"Then what is it?!" She sneered at him. "One moment you love me and the next you hate me."

"I don't hate you. I've never hated you." He sighed and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You're wearing my mantle." His thumb ran over the green worn material. "I guess I forgot I let you borrow it that night."

"Don't try to change the subject."

"I'm not trying to."

"Can you get to the point then?"

He chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. "Geez, you're so impatient." He spoke as if he wasn't nervous, but his hand was quivering anxiously as his eyes travelled around the small room. "You don't deserve someone like me. I'm not a prince. I'm not rich. I'm a poor traveller who tries my hand at drawing. I'm a monster. You deserve someone far better than me."

"Are you kidding me?" She grabbed a hold of his shirt and yanked him closer to her. He spluttered with surprise. "I think I'm the one who should be saying that."

"B-but you're a princess!"

She rolled her eyes and flattened her hands on his chest. "Simply because of my title doesn't mean I'm entitled to any men. Especially you." Her hand settled above his rapidly beating heart. A smile spread on her face. "You're kind and you're so loyal. I know my father offered you a fortune to stay away from me. You broke my heart and you left, but you never returned to claim your offer."

"Your happiness if worth more than a fortune."

"Then the question resurfaces, do you want to be with me."

He bit his lower lip and his eyes fluttered shut. Liquid shimmied through his eyelids and trickled down his cheeks as a smile grew on his face. A sincere smile she only witnessed in drawings where the artists capture the truest and happiest of smiles. After a beat of silence he nodded. "I love you too. But I do think you should reconsider your choice of p―"

"I already have and nope. I have decided I want my soul mate as my life partner."

"You didn't even consider it, did you?"

"Nope."

He chuckled and placed his hands above hers, running his thumbs over the back of her hand. "You're unbelievable."

"No. Believable. You are my soul mate. And I would love you none the less even if I were not bonded with you."

A smile spread on his face as he leaned down to rest his forehead on hers." Fickle woman. You don't know a good man from a monster."

"I don't need to. The man I've chosen is neither."

"Low blow."

She giggled as her hands escaped his, climbing up his chest and snaking around his neck. "No. He's the perfect man. With his flaws and all."

"Hmm, princess, you do know how to make a man's knees buckle."

"Is it enough to maybe be rewarded with a kiss?"

He chuckled softly and cupped her cheeks. "Absolutely." She rose on her tiptoes and their lips locked. Her eyes widened when the bond harpooned into his chest and rooted to his core. A tide wave washed over her with memories, thoughts, and his uncensored monologue coursed through her mind. Memories of his family's love for his abnormal appearance washed over her and the verbal arguments and isolation their family had to go through because of his appearance. Silently he suffered because of his family's sacrifice for their son, until he decided to leave them. The loop of self-hatred kept going on and on and on and on inside of his head. The thoughts he wasn't ever going to be enough because he was a beast. He wasn't going to get a job because he was a monster. He wouldn't _ever_ deserve a woman as her because he was a beast.

 _"You're more than enough."_ She whispered into his mind as she pulled him closer to her. _"You're more than I could've ever asked for."_

She could feel his heart swell with happiness as if it was her own. His thoughts of gratitude for finding someone that was capable of loving someone like him and joy for finally being happy with someone bounced around in her mind as if she was the creator behind them. His emotions bounced to her, to heighten and bounce back to repeat the process. The emotion grew and grew and grew in strength and their lips sloppily slid over each other's.

They both tumbled down on the bed, hands fisting the fabric of their clothes with clear and mutual thoughts of their desires on their minds.

Back in Death City the king paced back and forth in his master bedroom with the queen already snuggled in bed with a book in her hands. "I pledge when it gets back, I will cut off its penis. I will burn it and the priest will rebuke the sins within it."

The queen sighed heavily and closed her book. "For crying out loud, come to bed. You know it is normal for bonded soul mates to bodily engage."

"I know! B-but for my precious darling beloved daughter to engage with a beast, it's revolting!"

"I think it is good for her. She has found a good man who supports her and loves her from the bottom of his heart. And I know our grandchildren will be handsome."

"Handsome?!" The king spun around on his feet toward his wife. "We will be lucky if they do not have a tail!"

The queen rolled her eyes and placed the book on the night stand. "Oh hush. See pass his unique appearance and see the wonderful man he is. I truly think they are the most perfect couple and the strongest soul mate pair this kingdom will ever see."

The king almost choked on his saliva and spluttered incoherently as she turned the lights off.


	7. Terrifying gladiators wear pigtails

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is inspired from my favourite TV show called "The Gladiators". I don't know if it only exists in Sweden but it's really good.

**Terrifying gladiators wear pigtails**

 

His fingers flexed as he stared at the TV screen backstage. He quickly found his best friend Black*Star in the audience with his abnormal spikey blue hair and bare chest with his name written on it in blue body paint. Next to him sat Wes with his suit jacket gone and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up. For now was the pink glittery sign he'd made resting against his knees. The signs that caught his attention were the signs the children held, cheering on the gladiator woman, Grigori: the students' protector.

When he was at home, seated in his couch and a bowl of popcorn resting on his lap, he often cheered on for that particular gladiator. She was shorter and lighter than the rest of the female gladiators, but she was one of the toughest. With her brains and strategies, she knocked down all the challengers. His knees weakened at the sight of her eight pack and her muscular mile long legs and that sinful short skirt! She was lucky she was wearing booty pants underneath it.

The audience cheered for Grigori as she stood on the floating platform in the air with the challenger. The referee counted down and blew the whistle. The challenger threw herself at Girgori and she skilfully grabbed her and swung her backwards and launched her off the platform. The challenger went soaring through the sky and landed on the mattress under the platform. The audience screams with joy and Grigori's theme song blasted through the speakers. Soul's shoulders relaxed and as Grigori struck her signature pose.

Okay, he was ten points behind his rival. If he wanted to move on to the next round, he needed to beat his opponent and reduce the difference in points to the final stage when he would face his opponent and race toward the finish line.

He needed to win so maybe in the next round he could grow a pair and maybe ask for her number or buy her a coffee or something.

His throat ran dry as he nervously rubbed his palms together as he saw Girgori running backstage on the screen. Okay, he could do this. All he needed to do was ask for some advice on taking down the gladiator that would meet him. She was the Grigori, she had to know who it was and the person's weaknesses.

Grigori ran backstage with a wide grin plastered on her face. The other gladiators greeted her with high fives and hugs. The other flashy female gladiators protected her like they were her servants and they knew he wanted to approach her.

He inhaled courage and with determination, went over to Grigori. "Um." He gulped and the group of women instantly turned serious and stared at him with wonder. Grigori's green eyes were far too precious in this lightning, making his knees buckle.

"The water bottles are at the back." Grigori pointed toward the back.

"I know." He felt proud he didn't stutter. "Eh, can I talk to you for a second?"

She cocked her eyebrow but slowly nodded. "Okay. Follow me." She walked passed him and he quickly followed. He needed to throw holy water into his eyes for being far too intrigued by the short skirt and her sinful swaying of her hips. They reached a door and she opened it. He entered and noticed it was a far too small space with towels and different kinds of weights in the shelves.

"So." She closed the door behind them. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I'm far behind on the scoreboard."

She nodded. "I've noticed."

He quickly glanced down at her perfectly toned stomach and her muscular biceps. "Do you know who I'm going to meet?"

"I do."

"Do you know this person's weaknesses?"

"I do."

"Could you maybe give them to me?"

"Hmm," She pretended to think it over by resting her chin on her palm. "I tell you what, if you can beat the gladiator, I'll give you my phone number and I'll tell you all the gladiators' weaknesses."

His cheeks heated up and he embarrassedly looked away from her.

"I've noticed you checking me out." She smugly said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You're not very stealthy."

"I'm sorry."

She grabbed a hold of his chin and steered his eyes back on hers. "You will be if you don't beat the gladiator." She twisted the doorknob and winked at him. "Good luck."

His knees turned into spaghetti and he'd to support himself on the shelf. There was no option. He had to beat the gladiator.


	8. He's into you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's just not that into you AU. Signs are misinterpreted once again and Maka's thrown back into the endless cycle of discovering he's just not that into you. Although this time it hurts like a bitch.

Butterflies. It's butterflies. A smile stretched on her face as she skips up the steps to her apartment. This time it was right. It was finally right! After months of failed dates, she finally went on that one date that could lead to a date number two. She squealed and twirled on her heels.

This was it.

No more failed dates.

She ran up the lasts steps, throwing her coat, twirling and catching it, squealing with joy.

"Maka."

Her smile shattered and the euphotic sensation turned to a sensation of a ball cuffed to her ankle dragging her to the bottom of the sea. The one person she never _in a million years_ wanted to see hurried up from his seat on the floor, brushing the dirt from his jeans like she always nagged him about.

"What are you doing here?" She snarled threateningly as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Um," He took a step toward her and tried to close the thirty feet between them. "Look, I―" She gave him her bare palm and instantly he came to a stop. "I'm a jerk."

"No shit."

He nodded absentmindedly, shoving his hands down his pockets. "You weren't answering my calls."

"That's what people do when they're ignoring you."

His red eyes evaded hers and he stared down at his black combat boots for a moment before he faced her with new found courage. "I'm an idiot. A cynical idiot." His sharp tooth sunk into his lower lip. "And I realized you actually forgot your pen." He fished up a very expensive ball-pen that she would never even think of buying. A pen she recognized as the signature pen of his family's music company, the same model she'd admired over once she visited him at work for some dating advice.

She rolled her eyes and involuntarily she thought back to the moment they met. She making excuses to stalk another guy who didn't call back because she was just as pathetic as her father in the love department, and she started waving around her pen, saying it belonged to her date.

It was the night she was faced with the ugly truth.

"You know I would never buy such a pen."

He nervously started to beat the pen rapidly against his pants. "Well, since you helped me host the company party, I thought you deserved it."

Urgh. The company party. The one night she'd spent countless nights after watching horror movies and eating buckets of ice-cream, bawling her eyes out and smothering her cat with hugs. After getting her hopes up that Soul could possibly like her as much as she liked him, after hosting by his side and truly feeling like she stood like his partner, but in reality she was never even an option. She predatorily protected him from other women and when she kissed him, he rejected her in front of five-hundred people. Humiliated and hurt, she threw her champagne at his face and stormed out.

"I don't want it."

"I thought you would say that." His beat came to a stop and he tightened his grip on it to the point his knuckles turned white. "Maka I―"

She shook her head and backpedalled from Soul. "I just came back from a date with your friend Hiro." His face instantly fell and his bangs covered his eyes. "I'm going to be honest with you. I had a really great time tonight. He was nice, he followed all the rules, and I truly think this could lead to something more."

"But what about us?"

"What about us?"

His shoulders pulled up to his ears as he faced her. "I want to take you out on a date."

She shook her head. "No Soul. We're not the rule."

"The rules can suck it."

She rolled her eyes as her nails painfully dug into the thick fabric of her jacket, hugging it close to her chest. "The rules work. Thanks to your rules I've evaded having my feelings hurt by guys who're only interested in my vagina." Her throat swelled with familiar hurt she'd tried to move on from. "Your rules showed me I was crazy for thinking you were into me and I really should stick to the rules rather than jump to conclusions."

"I am. I've missed you so much these past couple of weeks." He dared taking a step toward her. "You were right. I'm cynical. I was running away from my feelings. I like you more than a friend and I fucked up. I know I did. These past weeks without you showed I really do care about you more than just as a friend. I can't stop thinking about you and I'm nervous. I'm hoping we could maybe start over?"

She sighed and her eyes fluttered closed. "You weren't interested when I kissed you. You always told me a guy would never change. That was the rule. Hiro's a really good guy as you said. He's kind, he leaves cute messages and―"

"I could do that too." Footsteps echoed in the corridor and she opened her eyes, catching Soul moving toward her slowly. "I can be like that."

"Soul." She groaned with frustration. "Here's the rule again, a guy won't change for you."

"But if a guy likes you, he will make sure you know it." He came to a stop in front of her.

"That rule doesn't apply anymore, don't you see?"

He came to a stop in front of her, his vibrant red eyes bravely stared into her eyes and she dug her nails into the fabric of her coat. "I really like you. You were totally right about me. I was too blind keeping all women away from me I didn't realize I liked someone. I didn't realize it when we kissed. Only these past weeks without that overanalysing brain of yours did I realize that I really like you. I want to take you out for dinner and see if we could become something more than just best friends."

Her tooth sunk into her bottom lip and she avoided his eyes. Her heart betrayed her and she hugged her jacket to her chest as if it could protect her from the bubbling sensation growing in her stomach.

"But Soul, I'm going out with Hiro. He follows the rules and he's drama free and―"

Her words came to a shrieking stop when he cupped her cheeks, unbearable red eyes staring into her soul with so much affection she'd never witnessed before. Slowly he leaned down, allowing her time to reject him.

But she didn't.

His lips brushed hers cautiously. Heart tumbling and twirling in her chest, blood running warm and fingertips tingling pleasantly. Her jacket slipped from her grip, hitting the floor and her hands climbed up his chest, around his neck, pulling him closer to her. Lips on lips moved and her nails dug into his jacket, enjoying the cinnamon taste of his rough lips.

She pulled away and he rested his forehead against hers, nose brushing. "You're my exception." He whispered. Lips feathered over hers, goose bumps appeared on her bare arms.

She swallowed trying to wet her dry throat. Her minds screamed to let him go, to run away and to block his number. The rules she'd been taught by the same person waved red flags and warnings signs in bright red with flashing lights, but her heart longed for him. Fingers tingled with the desire to bury themselves in his thick untameable hair and mouth kissing him eagerly.

Neither option was right.

"Really?"

"Yeah." His warm breath hit her lips. "If you weren't precious to me, I wouldn't have waited here for five hours for you to return."

She bit her lower lip and entwined her fingers in his hair. "Fine." She wet her lips. "One date."

A wide smirk infected his mouth and he pulled her face to his, quickly she placed her finger on his flushed red lips before he could kiss her again.

"One try." She pointed out.

His hands slid from her cheeks and settled on her biceps, leaving a trail of goose bumps behind. "One try is all I need."


	9. The Wolf That Huffed And Puffed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired from the game "The Wolf Among Us"

**The wolf that huffed and puffed**

His shoes clicked on the wood floor as he went through the hallways littered with fliers on the boards. The long line that'd infested the corridors outside the business office of the new Fabletown's Deputy Major was finally gone and silent. Soul came to a stop right outside the office where, through the dark glass on the door, a distant yellow light was still lit.

He sighed as he shook his head. Sixty-three days after the trial of Asura and she was still as busy as the day after. Fables were left without the safety net of fear, threats and manipulation Asura had created and now Maka Albarn, the new Deputy Major of Fabletown was trying to restore and make it better for everybody. All on her own.

It was already late. Too late for her to be up and working when she'd to get up early to Fables queueing at the door before the office even opened. Or in other words, abruptly waking up to angry Fables banging on her door and a steaming cup of coffee from her assistant Jaqueline.

He bit his lower lip and placed his hand over his beating heart. Sixty-three days since he'd a proper conversation with her. Been _a_ _team_ with her. Now she's busy with formalities and paperwork and the Fables needs while he was working in the field. Making sure no more crimes would erupt. The few glances he'd gotten from her, he'd barely managed to say a word to her before she was off excusing herself.

Maybe. Just maybe… he could catch a moment with her now.

He fished up his pack of _Huff n Puff_ cigarettes. Trapped one between his lips before he lit the end, taking a large drag. The smoke escaped from his lips before he knocked on the door. No answer. He twisted the door knob and it shrieked loudly. A sharp inhale and Maka sat straight up in her chair.

"I'll hear your out in a minute!" she spat out the words. Her eyes dawned on her when she realized morning had yet to come. "Soul?" she yawned and rubbed her eyes tiredly with scribbles from the documents she'd been laying on printed on her cheek and dried drool running down the corner of her lip. "It's unusual to see you this early in the morning."

"It's not." He tapped his cigarette and some ashes fell down. "It's passed midnight. You should go home and get some rest."

She sighed with relief and sunk back in her chair. "Thank goodness it's not morning…" Her eyes fluttered open and her blazing green eyes stared at him, making his stomach twist with the familiar _more._ Feelings that he'd never felt before. Feelings that far succeeded friendship and far inappropriate to feel toward his superior. If only… if only Justin had done his job. Then maybe… perhaps he could've warmed up the ice queen to the idea of love again. He could… he could be good. He knew he was an asshole and he screwed up and didn't follow her orders occasionally… but he could be _better._ Better than "prince charming" she divorced centuries ago. She hadn't― and wouldn't admit it― but it changed her.

"You know you need to rest. Trying to work 24/7 won't amount to any good."

"I know Soul―" instantly she cleared her throat " _Mr Eater_. But I need to get these papers ready. Fables will que up outside my office and I need to get these papers signed and approved by then."

"One night of rest isn't going to kill you." Soul inhaled and breathed out smoke. Always putting the Fables before herself. That's why she was chosen to be the next Deputy Major. Only she was selfless enough to take the job after the shit Asura had created. He definitely didn't envy her.

"Perhaps. But it needs to be done and I don't want to disappoint them. This hard work is only temporary. As soon as I get all this in place and working, I can start getting more rest."

His heart ached for her. The dark bags decorating under her eyes and her messy usual hair bun. She looked like something the cat dragged in. Something that reeked of death― and that was much to say judging that her green apple shampoo she enjoyed using had disappeared a long time ago and now she sprayed an awful smelling perfume to cover up her unhygienic state. He missed her smell. The filthy smelling perfume covered up the whole room proving that she hadn't left her office. A lot of different scents were in the mix. The scent of… Joe the woodsman… Marie the witch… and plenty different scents.

Soul quickly inhaled deeply and the precious smoke filled his lungs and made him forget about the scents for a moment. Damn… it was moments like these he didn't like his nose. Maka's scent was imprinted and he knew that wherever she went, he could sniff her out. He exhaled and the taste of smoke lingered in his mouth-

"It's your call." He gazed down at the glowing end of his cigarette that kept on growing closer to the end. "Just make sure you don't overdo it, okay? No one wants our new Deputy Major to work herself to death."

The infamous ice queen melted and a gentle smile spread on her rosy lips. "I won't, Soul."

His heart fluttered beneath his hair chest at the sound of his name being softly whispered from his far too precious Deputy Major. He lifted his cigarette to his lips and tried to cover his twitching corners of his lips by taking a drag. "When you're done, go home. Take a bath and get some sleep." The smoke escaped his lips as he spoke. He grinned wide toward her as he tapped his cheek. "You got something there."

Confusedly she stared at him before she picked up her hand mirror from her purse hung over her chair, her eyes widened and a cute gasp left her lips. Instantly she used the sleeve of her suit jacket and whipped off the scribbles on her cheek. "I look like death."

"Exactly my thought."

Her eyes narrowed into thin knife's blade.

He chuckled as he turned on his heel. "Anyway, I'm heading home now." He looked over his shoulder, releasing the smile he'd held in. "I'll see you around."

"Soul!" The chair shrieked as she stood up, slamming her hand and the hand mirror on her desk littering with papers. He came to a shrieking halt and looked over his shoulder once again. "Thank you. For stopping by. It was a long time ago since we talked."

"Yeah…" The tips of his fingers tingled pleasantly. He dropped his cigarette and stomped on it. "Nice seeing you too." He exited the business office.

…

Rain splattered on the windows and slithered down the old glass. Thunder illuminated the dark clouds dominating the sky. Streetlamps lit up empty streets devoid from the usual Fables coming out during the night. The static of TV filled the room and the screen kept blacking out and turning on. Smoke rose from the glowing end on his cigarette to the sound of water splashing in his bathroom.

Another day in silence.

Sixty-three days since he sent Mifune and Angela to The Farm for not being Glamoured. He moved his cigarette to his lips and inhaled loudly, smoke escaping through his nostrils. And sixty-three days since he roomie Kid to The Farm for the same reason. Even though stayed in their shared apartment in his owl form because he was "perfectly symmetrical and mundy form would ruin it", an order was an order, he had to go. Unglamoured fables put the rest in danger. He was simply a sheriff. He'd to oblige to Fabletown's Deputy Mayor.

The water in the bathroom suddenly stopped. The smell of roses and sweet strawberries tingled his nose. Smell that reminded him of fresh green apples and― Soul took another large drag of his cigarette and the glowing end shortened significant. His eyes fluttered shut. No, no, no, no! He couldn't think about her scent. Nope. She was off limits! He couldn't be with her. "Prince charming" had already fucked her up enough when it came to the love department. Her heart turned to ice when she divorced him and now with Justin's hidden desire to fuck her fucked her up even more. Even though he could temporarily melt a part of her and receive kindness from time to time, no one could make her fall in love. He bit his lower lip, sharp teeth nibbling his lower lip.

Not even him.

"Thanks for the shower." Liz stepped out of his bathroom in her ordinary short red dress, drying her hair using friction from the towel.

"You're welcome." He guided his almost burned cigarette, took one last inhale and put it out in his ashtray as the smoke left his nostrils. The mattress shifted as she sat down on the other side of it, towel hanging around her shoulders. "So, Liz, what's up?" Or Patty. The whole mess with Asura had opened his eyes that Patty, the woman he had met clashing with Joe the woodman, was in fact Liz glamoured.

After that day, he went after her and later than evening, she explained everything. He had never met Patty. She had been dead all along. She'd hatched a plan to get her revenge on Asura and avenge their deaths. She was beyond clever and witty. Never would've he suspected her if she hadn't dropped the hints. And that was the reason she had become his partner. Since Maka was busy with her paperwork, she offered to help him out. Simply being a pair of eyes and ears.

"Can I have one of those?" She nodded toward the put out cigarette in the ashtray. He handed her his package of cigarettes. She grabbed it and took a cigarette. She leaned toward him and lit her cigarette between her lips. "The girls at the Pudding n' Pie's still worried. The ribbons' magic might be gone, Giriko's gone, and they're free to do whatever, but they're still in debt and without a job."

"Isn't Maka trying to fix it? She's been working like crazy trying to create job opportunities for everyone."

"Yeah, but some aren't happy with the pace she's working in. Their rents have to be paid and without a paying job, they could get evicted within a soon future, and then she'll have to deal with even angrier Fables that're unemployed _and_ homeless."

"She's doing everything she can. She can't do anything more than she's already doing. She barely sleeps and she doesn't take care of herself anymore." His heart fell in his chest. "She loves Fabletown." The only thing that had enough space in her heart. These past two months had proven she loved Fabletown with every fibre of her stone cold heart. He had never seen her so passionate about making Fabletown into the best she could. She wouldn't sacrifice her time reading her books for nothing. The corner of his lips pointed downward. Not even for him.

"I don't doubt that. I'm sure as hell wouldn't want it." She puffed out a couple circles of smoke. "Fancy suits and paperwork isn't for me."

He snorted. "And a stripper pole is?"

She shoved him with her knee. "It's more like me than suits." She smiled at him. "I'm fit for the―" A knock on the door cut them off. Instantly a grin spread on Liz's face. " _So_ , nightly visitor, huh?"

Soul rolled his eyes and stood up from his seat. "You know I'm not that kind of guy."

"But you _did_ make an appointment with me."

He was going to get it shoved up his face every time she could, wouldn't she? It wasn't like he slithered between her legs and cosied up. He just got the key so he could get into the right one so he could investigate it.

"You're never going to let it slide, aren't you?"

She smirked a real shit-eating smirk. "Nope."

Great. Just great. Another knock on the door and he went over to it, twisted and knob and it swung open. His eyes widened at the mess of the one and only Maka Albarn. Wet from head to toe and shivering visibly.

"Hi." She whispered. "I thought you wouldn't be awake."

"Why―"

"Well!" Liz rose up from her seat, instantly Maka's eyes darkened and narrowed into slits. "I think I'll leave now." She tossed the towel at Soul who caught it. "Thanks for the shower again." She shimmied passed them and left. As soon as the sound of Liz's heels disappeared inside of the elevator the anger that coloured Maka's face red burst.

"Isn't it a little bit late for visitors?" she spat.

"She was cold and wanted a warm shower." She cocked her eyebrow. "You know, you could also use a warm shower before you catch a cold."

"And get the same treatment as her? I don't think so." she snarled as her arms tightened around her. Geez, she was too stubborn and… possibly jealous for her own good.

"Um yeah, consider the only thing she got was a warm shower, a conversation and a smoke."

She silenced. She pouted and entered his apartment. "Fine. I could use that too. Minus the cigarette."

He closed the front door after her. "There's clean towels in the closet. Would you like dry clothes?"

She nodded. "Yes please." He disappeared inside of his bedroom, collected a shirt and a pair of boxers for her. He handed her them before she disappeared inside of the shower. Whatever that had blessed him with Maka showing up at his apartment in the middle of the night was awesome. He'd no clue why she was here, but she. was. here. His hands ran clammy with sweat and his heart went crazy like a runaway train. She was really here, in his apartment and he couldn't quite process it. Sixty-three days of separation and no talk, and now she was _here_.

And her smell. Oh dear, the scent of sweat was washed off and now her natural sweetness perfumed his apartment. The scent he's been missing from their investigation together. He wouldn't be able to sleep for days now when her intoxicating scent plagued his home.

The water was turned off and he could hear the distant sound of her small feet stepping out of the tub and the sound of her whipping the water off her body with her towel. He shouldn't listen. He shouldn't invade her privacy by eaves-dropping on the sound of her hanging the towel on his hook or the boxers slipping up her legs or― no. He shakes his head madly and inhales deeply, letting the smoke fill his lungs. Nope. He couldn't invade her privacy like that. Nope, no, no, no―

The bathroom door swung open and out stepped Maka in only his boxers and shirt. Long creamy legs at his display that seemed to go on for miles and collarbones sharper and mouth-watering now exposed for his eyes to feed on. She'd turned him into a puppy wanting to nibble on her collarbone and run his hand up her long legs and under her―

"I think I used all of your warm water. Sorry." He couldn't help but to notice how beautiful her hair was when let down. A beautiful wet mess running down her shoulders. He'd to say, her hair in a bun was beautiful, but her hair let down made his stomach flip and blood heat.

"Don't worry about it." He waved it away and took a hurried drag of his cigarette. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Stay down! He blew out the smoke and crossed his legs. "So, what brings you here in the middle of the night?"

She tucked her legs underneath her as she cosied up on the couch, leaning toward him and propping her arm up on the back of the couch. Her eyes half-lidded as she peaked at him through her bangs. "You've been hanging a lot with Liz lately." she neutrally stated with her professional voice he'd gotten to witness on multiple occasions.

"We're colleagues."

"But we're also colleagues."

"More like you're my superior. We work in two different departments."

She pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. "But _we_ don't see each other that often."

"But _we're_ not partners anymore. Liz is."

Her mouth stretched into a thin line and her jaw visibly tightened. He knew it he admitted it out loud, he would get a punch to the face, but she was cute when she was frustrated. "But are you _only_ partners?"

So that was what was bugging her. She was jealous! And jealous because of Liz of all people. Liz had been the person who helped them the most with the murder cases. She'd been working in the shadows, already possessing all the information they needed, and found ways to communication it without ending up dead. It dawned on him. Of course she would be jealous of Liz. As soon as Asura was thrown into the Witching Well, they were no longer partners. She'd been promoted Deputy Major of Fabletown and he was left doing his job. And then, the woman that helped him out, entrusted her information to him, came and took her place and because his partner. Did she think… that Liz and he could be… no. She wouldn't.

His eyes locked with her dark emerald orbs critically scanning every expression he made. Hands fisting tightly.

Or would she…?

"If you're asking if Liz and I are shagging… then no. We're strictly professional."

Her eyes narrowed and she leaned forward to the point their noses almost touched as she searched for a single hint that he was lying. A smile blossomed on her face. "Good. Because a relationship between co-workers is not permitted."

Instantly his heart sank in his chest. The little hope that fluttered inside of him was smashed into mush. Of course she wouldn't like him. _She was the ice queen!_ Of course she only cared if he was breaking the rules or not. No one could ever li―

"It wasn't the only reason I came here." she whispered, her breath hitting his lips. Oh boy. He could use a drag of his cigarette about now. "I'm proud of you."

"What?" he spoke astonished.

"The way you conducted yourself during the whole investigation. I know you're quick to engage in violence due to your past… and I was worried you would fall back into your old ways." She placed her hand on his knee. "But you didn't. You brought in Asura for trial. You sincerely _cared_ about the safety of other." Her thumb gently traced the edge of his kneecap. "I never really got to say it… but I'm so happy for you. The last thing I would want is to watch you become a murderer."

Without tearing his eyes away from her soft ones, he put out his cigarette on his ashtray. His heart raced in his chest and he cupped his hand over hers. "Me neither." He ran his thumb over the back of her hand. "I've already done so many wrongs. I hope I've at least done something good."

"You have. I'll always be grateful for what you've done."

He smiled gently and she leaned toward him, resting her head against his shoulder. A tired sigh escaped her lips as she snuggled her face into the curve of his neck.

"Can I hide here for the night? I don't want to deal with angry Fables in―" She glanced at the clock hanging on his wall. "―four hours."

"Sure. You can take the bed. I'll sleep on the couch."

"No." she groaned and her eyes fluttered shut. "I'm the intruder, I can sleep on the couch."

"It's fine. You take the bed. You need all the sleep you can get."

"Okay" she yawned loudly. "For everything. You're a real friend." Before she even finished her sentence, dreamland had whisked her away. He chuckled. Such a cute dork. As soon as he added the slightest bit of pressure, her hand fisted his shirt, refusing to let him go. His heat swelled with affection and his arm snaked around her waist. Even though he was a walking heater, with his free hand he grabbed a discarded blanket and wrapped it around her.

Even if she didn't feel the same way, what they had was something far too precious. He could always count on her, and she could always count on him. They were a team even after the murder investigation. They looked out for each other and he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.


	10. Childhood Sweethearts

This story has been kicking it in my docs for a couple of months now, but when I saw [Eis's art](http://eisschirmchen.tumblr.com/post/153097535949/i-apologize-for-not-uploading-stuff-for-awhile) of Soul and Maka as kids, I just had to return to this drabble, edit it and post it. Go check Eis's drawing out because this would've still been in my docs if it weren't for her art.

* * *

 

**Childhood Sweethearts**

At first the adults thought it was cute; two toddlers getting along well, playing together and sharing toys with one another. The parents had made cute moans and taken pictures of Soul and Maka together in their diapers. Then Mrs. Evans had the splendid idea of encouraging the toddlers to kiss for a photograph.

Eleven years later, somehow, Soul and Maka had stayed together. Not as friends, but _together_ -together. Eleven years of hand-holding and cheek kisses and introducing the other as their boyfriend and girlfriend. Eleven years of what once stared as a cute gesture from a parent lead to a long-lasting relationship.

Maka bit down on her flushed lower lip, hands fisting the purple frills hanging from her hem. Students out on the dance floor dancing to upbeat music Soul would label as junk. She gazed over her shoulder at the snack table where Soul and Black*Star stood leaning up against the wall with plates full with food.

Their relationship had always been comfortable. Nice. She was enjoying all the hand-holding and cheek kisses. It was all… good. Since she could remember… Soul was always _there_. He was always there waiting on the street outside of her home, ready to walk to school with her, always taking a seat beside her and entwining his fingers with her. It was cute and all at the beginning, but now almost being adults? Their relationship started by a parent's encouragement for a kiss, now? She wasn't quite so sure. For all these years, _why were they still together_?

She sighed heavily as she rested her chin on her palm. It was all routine. When joining the other, their hands would automatically clasp and fingers entangle. When leaving, one of them would kiss the other's cheek and walk away. Never had they shared a kiss. Not an ordinary kiss she had seen Black*Star and Tsubaki do. One that was filled with passion and love for one another. Never had they really confessed and become a couple. For as long as she had remembered, they were always a couple.

When strangers and friends asked how long they'd been together, their jaws would hit the floor and eyebrows disappearing underneath their bangs. But was it really valid? It wasn't like they loved each other from day one. Heck, maybe there wasn't any love at all?

Her heart wrenched in her chest at the thought. She can sincerely say she did not love him when they first kissed as toddlers. Not a year later. Not two years later. It wasn't until her twelfth birthday she accepted she loved her dear boyfriend. She still couldn't forget the moment he handed her the blue and white package containing the beautiful keychain which still decorated her keys to this day. His eyes looking the other way and shoulders tensed, he looked too cute with his blush on his cheeks and at that moment, she knew she was in love.

But was he? If he held any feelings toward her wouldn't he have told her already? Was he simply comfortable with the way it was? Satisfied being in an emotionless relationship with her?

Her head slowly lowered until her eyes set on her modest bust. She had flaws. He had pointed it out numerous times for her to get the hint: he wasn't attracted to her. Then why would he persist on continuing their relationship if there was nothing positive about it?

It wasn't true. She knew very well he had a couple of girls thirsting to take her place. Girls that were his type. Mature girls with curves and pretty faces batting their rich eyelashes and leaving love letters in his locker, not to forget all the heart-shaped boxes full with chocolate he would share with Black*Star before he would come to her place and watch a movie, too full with chocolate to even bother eating hers. So why on earth didn't he end it and date one of them if they were his type and made better chocolate than her?

Her hands moved to her temples and gently she massaged her skull. It was all so confusing― _he_ was confusing. Relationships were supposed to be easy― _he_ was supposed to be easy to read. But it all had turned into one large mess.

"Maka?"

She jolted, eyes snapping upward at the familiar voice. "Clay!" Eyes widened at the blond young man in front of her with hands casually in his pockets. "This is a school dance. Are you crashing?"

He nodded his head toward the empty chair beside her that had been long ago vacant by Soul. "Sure." Clay sat down beside her, back slouched and his endless legs extended.

Maka had met Clay countless of times at the library where he had worked part-time. She often ran into him by the _fantasy_ section where they found themselves discussing books and movies based on books.

"I heard the dance could be pretty cool so I asked Akane to get me in." He shrugged his shoulders and grinned toward her. "Here I am. I didn't expect to see you here though."

"Well, I was attending with my friends…" her gaze darted toward the dance floor where she saw Patty and Tsubaki jumped around dancing it out while Kid had grabbed Liz, struggling much to Kid's annoyance as they tried dancing symmetrically together. Black*Star kept on loading chips on his paper plate and shoving the food in his mouth, pieces flying as he spoke with his mouth open. She couldn't help but notice the gang of mature girls who stood at the other end of the snack table, checking Soul out as they whispered into each other's ears.

"Ah, so they ditched you?"

She shook her head, pigtails whipping her cheeks. "No, not at all. They wanted to dance and I wasn't in the mood. That's all to it."

"I see." He retrieved his hands from his pockets and crossed his arms over his chest. "So what's bothering you?"

She cocked her eyebrow and tilted her head with wonder. "Why would I be bothered?"

"Your expression screams 'I've problems'. So what's up? Lost a book from the library?"

She shook her head. Clay and she were occasionally friends. They didn't talk if they didn't run into each other, bothering him with her relationship problems wouldn't be a smart move. She shouldn't be talking about it with anyone _but_ Soul. He was the person she had to confront, not Clay.

"It's nothing to worry about." Her relationship with Soul couldn't go on like it does. She loved him, but it wouldn't be fair to both of them to continue the relationship. Their relationship was stupid. Just because none of them had the heart to shut it down when it was based on their stupid parents.

It had to end. Tonight―

"Maka." She whipped around on her chair. Soul stood taller than usual having straightened his typically slouched back, hands out of his pockets. "Who's this?"

"Oh!" She gestured toward her friend. "Soul, this is Clay. He's my friend. Clay, Soul."

"I'm her b―"

"Roommate!" Maka quickly pitched in. Soul's eyes fluttered as he stared at her astonished. "We share an apartment. Hard to get hold of good apartments these days especially when you're a high schooler." She nervously laughed, rubbing the back of her head.

"I can only imagine." Clay commented. There was no need for Maka to gaze at Soul, she could feel two burning spots at her neck from Soul's baffled gaze. "Anyway, so are you enjoying the party?" Clay turned toward Soul. She refused to meet his stare which burned to meet her eyes.

"It's alright." He placed his hand on her shoulder. She tried to suppress tensing under his touch, but in her heart, she knew he felt it. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Here it goes.

"Sure. Let's talk outside." She rose from her seat, waved goodbye to Clay, and headed for the exit. Soul was close on her tail, only two steps behind with his hands in check to her relief. He must've sensed her discomfort.

Once outside, the cool air hit her bare arms and the moon shone down upon them. They found the bench right by the endless stairs up Shibusen and took a seat. Thankfully Soul left some space between them. The music from within the school distant and muffled and the silence hung heavily in the air.

"You've been acting weird." Soul broke the silence after a few long moments. "Not just tonight, but the past couple of days too." She couldn't deny it. Her relationship with Soul had always seemed to be effortless. They simply just… worked. Everything seemed to work between them, but… no love. At least not mutual. It couldn't do.

"I know. I'm sorry. I've had a lot on my mind lately." she confessed.

"You know you can talk to me, right?"

"Yes." Her hands nervously fisted her dress, eyes fixated on them to avoid Soul's watchful eyes. "There is something I want to say to you." She inhaled loudly. "I think it's time we end this."

Soul cocked his eyebrow as his eyes searched for hers. "Do you mean…" His voice was fearful and tense. "… ending our relationship?"

Her heart tightened in her chest at the unexpected hurt in his voice. "Throughout our life it has always been us. Are we really just going to go along and not see how life is with other people…?"

"I see…" His hands clasped together, elbows resting on his knees. She dared to take a peek at him and to her dismay, his bangs covered his face. "So who's the guy?"

"What?!" She shot up from her seat and stared at him with wide eyes. Anger fired up and coloured her cheeks red.

"It's that guy, right? Clay, was it?"

"No!" She exclaimed. "Why would I like a different guy?!

"Then why would you want to break up with me?!" He rose from his seat quickly, his bangs whipping away from his face. Her breath was lost at the sight of his teary eyes, years since she last witnessed him crying. "We've been together for soon twelve years! We've been through _everything_ together! Why would you possibly want to throw it all away?!"

She bit her lower lip, trying to numb the pain in her heart. "It's not because of some guy."

"Then I'm the problem?" his voice cracked.

"No!"

"Have you fallen out of love with me?"

"How could I?!" She slapped her hands over her mouth, far too late.

"Then why?" He plopped down on the bench once again, burying his face in his hands. This break-up was going far less smooth than she'd imagined. She'd thought he would accept it and walk away, he was truly hurting. His ordinary façade of boredom was ripped to pieces and exposed the ugly hurt he was enduring. A hurt she'd caused.

"We've been together for almost our entire life. This relationship started because of our parents and it has just gone on and on. _We_ didn't start this."

"But it was _us_ who decided to continue it."

"We didn't decide it."

"Then who did?!" He slapped his hands on his pants. His cheeks smudged with his tears. "I sure as hell decided every day I wanted to be with you."

Her breath hitched. "Don't lie to me!" A tidal wave of tears washed over her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. "You always told me how I wasn't enough and you sure enjoyed to point out how my body wasn't to your liking―"

"That was years ago! You know I stopped when I found you crying in the girl's bathroom 3rd of April three years ago."

She bit her lower lip. It was true. After she'd disappeared from their lunch table in a hurry after a mean comment, he followed her and found her locked in a stall, bawling her eyes out. He'd stayed with her, holding her and apologized over and over again, but it had planted seeds of self-resent in her mind. She looked at herself as a scrawny ugly girl no one would be able to love. Not even her boyfriend.

"But it doesn't change how you look at me!" Her hands tightened by her sides, looking away from him. "You still feel that way… you still think of me that way…"

"I never felt that way. I was immature and I didn't know what to do when you hit puberty. I didn't know how to handle your boobs." His warm hands placed on her shoulders. "Please look at me."

She sniffled and slowly, her eyes locked with his teary red ones. "I'm sorry for calling you those awful things. I never wanted to hurt you." He tugged at her shoulders and she allowed him to pull her into his embrace. "But do you think if I felt that way I would still be here?"

She bit her lower lip and nodded. "Yes…"

"Then I'm happy to tell you I wouldn't. I'm here because I love you." His fingertips comfortingly caressed her spine. "I know it's odd how long we've been together, but it's something I wouldn't want to change. I'm happy being with you."

"But- but all those girls! You ate all their chocolate on a Valentine's Day and you didn't even eat any of my chocolate I made for you. They always leave give you so many love letters."

Soul chuckled, burying his face in her hair. "And you know I apologized. You know ever since that year I gave all the chocolate to Black*Star. I'll repeat myself, I love _you_ , if I wanted someone else I wouldn't be with you."

Her hands quivered against his hips, mouth running dry as if she had wandered a desert for days. Her feelings weren't one-sided. He loved her. She was loved. "Then why…? Why haven't you told me until now when I'm breaking up with you…?"

His eyes fluttered. "I thought you knew. We're in a relationship after all. I would've told you if my feelings changed."

She wanted to cry and laugh and steal candy from a child. Of course Soul would do that. He never was good with emotions. Of course he would take it all that way. "But why wouldn't you want to kiss me or want to touch my boobs like other guys?"

Soul heartily laughed into her ear and squeezed her form against his chest. "You've listened too much to Black*Star's rants."

"But doesn't every guy want it?"

"Not everybody. Kid certainly doesn't want it."

"But don't _you_ want it?"

"Yeah― I mean, only if that's what you want." Suddenly his face heated up against her skull. "I didn't really think you wanted it. I thought maybe you approached these things like Kid and I was okay with it."

It all had been one huge tangle of miscommunication on their part. Or lack of communication. How could both of them be so blind? If only they'd opened up earlier and communicated with each other, they would've never been in this mess.

"… do you want to date me? We could go for some ice-cream."

He snorted and pulled away from her, hands still on her lower back. "I would love to. I'm getting hungry. How about Chinese and movie night?"

"How can you be hungry? You and Black*Star ate half the food on the snack table."

"So you were checking me out." He waggled his eyebrows.

She huffed and half-heartedly slapped his chest. "More like _you_ checked _me_ out. Storming at me like some jealous boyfriend."

"At least I admit it unlike some." He cupped her cheek and wiped away the smudges of her now ruined mascara she had applied for the school dance. "Do you want some Chinese or not?"

A smile spread on her face and she leaned into his touch as his thumb ran over her cheek. "I would love to."


	11. Editor in love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt like updating something. I've had this thing laying around in my docs for a couple of months and I felt like this was a good time to upload it.

  **Editor in love**

Soul sipped from his coffee as he headed toward work. The corners of his mouth twitched with excitement as he went down the streets of Death City (because it was uncool skipping merrily).

Another day editing new at the news station. Another day behind the computer screen. Another day of staring with amazed wonder at the new anchor on his screen as his chest turned to gooey mush.

When he took the job at the local news station, he hadn't any intentions of staying more than a year. He was more interested in editing cool jazz music videos than boring debates about flossing. Now he had worked at the news station for two years and nine months, and he _still_ hadn't started searching for other jobs. Of course the cute, smart, news anchor had nothing to do with his choice to stay. It wasn't like he enjoyed zooming into her face in his editing program so he could watch every expression she made, studying everything from the small wrinkle appearing between her eyebrows as she tried to maintain her rage and the dimples in her cheeks when something positive surprised her.

Nope, he didn't stay because of her.

The front door shrieked loudly, janitor Joe hadn't still oiled the hinges. The cool air from the AC made him uncomfortably aware of his soaked armpits and the moist pearls hiding underneath his bangs. The Nevada sun had no mercy on him. He probably should've drowned himself in axe body spray just like Black*Star.

With his free hand he loosened his tie and unbuttoned his two top buttons while balancing his full cup of coffee.

Before he knew it, he rounded the corner and ran right into a person. Scolding hot coffee splashed over his hand and the person. His mouth went wide at the feminine gasp and the gigantic stain of coffee all over her white shirt.

His eyes bulged out of their sockets at the view of the one and only, Maka Albarn, standing right in front of him with his coffee splashed all over her.

"Oh death." She frantically blew at the hot liquid all over her shirt.

"Shit, I'm so sorry, Maka!" His paper cup of Deathbucks coffee hit the floor and immediately ripped at his tie. "I-I've help you!" His tie hit the floor and soaked in the coffee. Buttons from his shirt sprayed in every direction, ripping it off his arms. "I-I can get that stain away!" He grabbed a hold of her shirt, rubbing at the stain on her shirt with his.

"Sir." Maka said.

"Don't worry. I-I'll fix this!" He scrubbed at the stain violently.

"Sir!" she exclaimed. He halted his hand, completely aware of his naked chest and his bunched up shirt totally on hers. The coffee stain on her shirt transforming it into a transparent filter, exposing her dark purple bra.

His shirt fell from his hand, staring at Maka with wide eyes. She gazed at him as if he wore a straitjacket.

"I'm sorry!" He moved passed her, totally slipping on the coffee as he hurried away to his hideout inside of the editor's section.

He didn't know what the weirdest part was: that he arrived shirtless or that he slammed the door shut behind him, locking it as if he was hunted by the police. Whatever it was, Black*Star's laughter was the far worst part. He fell from his chair in the process. Soul had rolled his eyes and stolen Black*Star's hoodie to cover himself.

Editing after the worst first encounter with the smart and beautiful Maka Albarn, he could only cringe and look away from her gaze as he edited her videos. He wasn't even in front of her and his neck disappeared inside of his body.

He sat with his headphones on, drowning in his embarrassment as he choked on the stench of axe body spray on Black*Star's hoodie. He definitely should never use the amount of body spray Black*Star uses or else he would lose his sense of smell.

A tap on his shoulders, he ripped of his headphones to see Black*Star standing with bag swung over his shoulder. "I'm heading out. Don't stay too long, okay?"

"Yeah, whatever."

"You know you can't hide in here forever. You gotta come out someday."

"Yeah, as soon as the whole office forgets it. No thanks to you." He turned back to his computer screen.

"Come on man, I only told Kilik about it. And maybe Harvar and Kim." Soul rolled his eyes at his friend and put his headphones on.

Oh couldn't believe how they could be friends. The most embarrassing encounter he has ever had with a crush. He totally first burned her and then sexually assaulted her. The whole office knew of his embarrassing moment thanks to Black*Star's big mouth. All he could do now was either quit his job or wait till the cops came and arrested him. Whatever it was, it would be easier than looking into Maka's eyes.

He gazed at the paused video on his screen of Maka, smiling wide and eyes sparkling as she stared into the camera. Cute dimples and all. He couldn't believe he did that to her. She had to hate him for completely violating her like that in the lobby.

His shoulder was once again tapped. He growled with annoyance and ripped his headphones off his head. "Black*Star I―" his voice disappeared at the cute news anchor standing right. In front. Of. Him. Now with a clean identical white shirt.

"Your name is Soul Evans, right?" she cautiously asked him.

He was left speechless and he nodded.

"You forgot your clothes." She extended his black silk tie and his button up shirt with coffee stains.

He accepted his clothes, avoiding her eyes. He murmured a "thank you".

"Don't worry about this morning's event." She started. "Black*Star explained everything."

His gaze snapped up at her. "Black*Star?" he nervously questioned.

"Yeah. He explained everything during lunch."

He was sweating bullets. What exactly had he _told her?_ He never even mentioned he talked with her. He knew of Soul's crush on Maka! He wanted to melt in his seat and disappear through the cracks in the floor.

"He did…?" He squeaked.

"Yes, and quite frankly, I agree with him." He gulped visibly, sweating bullets. He was lucky Black*Star's hoodie was black. "Since you ruined my shirt, I think you owe me a cup of coffee."

His eyes fluttered. "What?"

Maka crossed her arms behind her back, looking cuter than ever. "Black*Star might have told me of your crush on me."

Soul groaned and melted in his chair, attempting to hide behind the back of his chair. "I'm so sorry."

"No, no, it's okay. Black*Star has actually talked about you, offered me your phone number and all. I didn't realize you were _that_ Soul Evans."

He peeked up from the back of his chair. "He did that?"

She nodded, smiling wide. "Yes. So how about it?" She offered him her hand. "You want to grab a coffee?"

He couldn't believe it. A smile spread on his face and he timidly grabbed her hand. "Sure."


	12. The wolf who huffed and puffed Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found some old pictures of me and my cat snuggling as we watched a The Wolf Among Us playthrough and I just came up with this plot at once. I hope you all like it! I highly encourage you to read the first part.

**The Wolf Who Huffed and Puffed Part 2**

If he had known letting her crash at his place would be the start of something… odd and back-hurting, he might've rethought his decision. When his back hurt like a bith in the morning after sleeping on the couch, he enjoyed imagining if he had sent her to her own home and his back would've been given a break from the scrawny bed of his. He knew he didn't have the heart to send her away, especially when she looked like death after a nineteen long day behind her desk.

A pattern quickly started to form. She returned to his apartment a little after midnight, took a shower while he reheated some leftover or made some sandwiches depending on what was in his fridge for her. While she was showering, he knocked on the door, waiting for her approval before he entered with a towel and her pyjamas (yes, he had been to her apartment and grabbed a few clothes and hygiene products from her apartment) and placed them on the toilet. Once she had showered, he kept her company as she ate her food before she went to bed inside of his bedroom while he slept on the couch. His alarm clock would go off too early in the morning and while he was still snoring on the couch, she would tiptoe out of his apartment.

Sometimes, he asked himself, why on earth would she come to his apartment every day after work? They didn't talk about work. He simply prepared her a meal and offered her a shower. It's nothing special. She had a nicer place than his. Now when she worked and crashed at his place, her place was bound to be dusty.

Don't get him wrong. He appreciated her company, even loved it. It was almost… it reminded him of a happily married couple. Instead he was taking care of his friend who just happened to be his superior.

By now, he was very aware of her work ethics. Even if she had any feelings close to his, she would choke them and bury them deep within her because romantic relationships between co-workers were off her list. She would be the one to report romantic relationships than engage in them.

His impossible vision, his prohibited feelings toward Maka was heart-achingly impossibly. She was his superior. The most impossible relationship to deepen. It wasn't helping she was divorced and scorned since many years ago.

His home had gone from being his safe sphere to his personal torture chamber. Her scent had permanently perfumed his bedroom and no amount of cigarettes could cover it up. His pants were always uncomfortably tight and he cursed his damn nose from continuously picking up her sweet scent in his apartment.

He was going insane. If a throbbing boner wouldn't kill him, her scent surely would.

Letting her crash at his apartment was a bad idea. A _really bad_ idea. The worst he had ever come up with.

But he _still_ had given her a key to his apartment!

This time it was different.

The shitty music vibrated the air as he sat by the bar with a half-empty bottle of beer in his hand. The clock behind the bartender polishing a cocktail glass glared him down. It was one in the morning, which meant Maka had probably eaten her food alone and gone to bed. Maybe she even broke her pattern and left to sleep at her own apartment for a change.

"You're seriously not going to go home?" Liz said as she held her cocktail, watching the see-through liquid kiss the mouth of the glass as she slowly rolled it.

"Exactly." he muttered.

"You know you can snuggle up to her like the overgrown puppy you are."

He cocked his eyebrow and gave her a _are you shitting me_ look. Every single fable in Fabletown knew Maka was the Ice Queen. The divorce had frozen her heart after she found her ex-husband in bed with another woman. If he were to pull such a move, she wouldn't just maim him, she would first beat him to a bloody puddle and then feed his testicles to the wolves. Or maybe him.

"Okay maybe you shouldn't do that at once, but come on. If she was all about professionalism, what's professional about going to your inferior's home in the middle of the night and sleeping there?"

"My apartment is just closer to the office."

"Yeah, but think about it. A person visits you in the middle of the night. My mind doesn't exactly go to a friendly warm shower and a meal, it goes to the bedroom."

"Of course your mind does." he snorted. "You're like a dog in heat twenty-four seven."

"At least some of us get it on."

Low blow. The disgusting and impossible feeling he held toward Maka was preventing him from moving on, heck, there wasn't anything to _move on_ from when they had never been an item. He could flirt with the other fables approaching him, he could take them home and relieve himself from stress, but he just couldn't. Every time he tried to flirt with a woman, Maka kept popping up in his head. How hard he tried to squash the feeling of discomfort and try to enjoy the girl's company, he just couldn't.

Liz sighed and placed her glass on the wooden surface, her index finger absently caressing the edge of her glass. "Listen, we both know Maka's smart. She knows her nightly visits to your apartment looks bad."

"What are you trying to say?" The tension hung heavily in the air as he fully faced her.

"Well, if the council finds out about her regular nightly visits to her inferior co-worker, it could be seen as unprofessional and biased. They could ultimately fire her as Deputy Major."

He hadn't thought about it before. The situation they found themselves in was highly questionable. From an outside perspective, he had to agree it could look like they were secret lovers. Soul didn't work directly under her, but she still had power over him. If the council found out about her visits… she could _really_ lose her position. She worked her ass off for Fabletown and a lot of fables who lost their job after they brought The Crooked Man to justice had received a new job. Never before had he witnessed a Deputy Major work as hard as she was. Maka was the Deputy Major of Fabletown they'd been waiting for. On her own, she had conquered some huge issues and she wasn't going to stop. Seven months since she was promoted Deputy Major and he wanted to celebrate the day she'd been the Deputy Major for a year.

He had to stop this. She loved Fabletown. She needed the Deputy Major position. As selfish as he wanted to be to share his apartment with her, he couldn't be. He loved spending as much time as he could with her, but this was taking too much of a risk.

He couldn't allow this anymore.

"Fuck." He ran his hand through his hair. "It really does look bad."

"You know I don't want to be mean, but dude, Maka is the best Deputy Major we have ever had. Soul, you _can't_ let Maka lose her job."

"I know." He heavily sighed as he covered his face in his hands. "I'll have to fix this."

Even though this would mean he would go back and never see her again except for the brief run ins in the hallways when she was followed by other fables hollering suggestions and issues and waving their errands in her face. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. He… they would go back being almost strangers again.

Soul pushed away the beer bottle. He didn't feel like drinking anymore. "I'll go home."

"Be careful, okay?"

"I will." He left a bill by the beer bottle and left the calm little bar.

…

His eyes bulged out of his sockets at the view of Maka laying on his couch, plate and utensils forgotten on the coffee table. Her hair still wet and clumpy from her shower, his shampoo instead of hers he had brought oozing from her hair. The usual pastel blue shirt and shorts peeking out from underneath his blanket was replaced with his shirt and boxers.

Had she… had she been waiting for him? He wet his suddenly dry lips and the front door clicked shut.

What he thought was silent was enough to wake Maka up. She inhaled loudly and shot up into a sitting position. "Soul?" She rubbed her eyes and the wide smile spreading on her face was doing some strange things in his gut.

"Aren't you supposed to sleep?" he said as he shrugged off his leather jacket and dropped it to the ground.

"Yeah." She placed her phone on the coffee table. She hadn't just been waiting up for him, but she had been waiting for him to call her. "I wanted to stay up for you. It would be rude of me to go to bed when you've always been waiting up for me."

"It's nothing. You could've gone to bed."

Her cheeks flushed and she pouted at him like a stubborn child. "But I _wanted_ too."

Soul chuckled and took of his shoes and unceremoniously left them in a pile next to Maka's neatly placed shoes on the shoe rack. "Yeah, I'm here now. You can go to sleep."

"Don't you remember what you said?"

He cocks his eyebrow quizzically at her. "What?"

"What you said when I came here months ago. When Liz was here."

There had been a few times when Liz was around when she arrived. Liz had collected their paperwork before she left, but he couldn't remember any specific words she had said that made an impact on her.

Maka sighed and fidgeted with his blanket. "The first time I was here you offered me a shower and a conversation. And a smoke which―"

"You declined. Now I remember." Soul added. He went toward the couch and supported his hands on the back of it. "So, you finally want that smoke, huh?"

"What- _no_ , I want to converse with you."

"If you haven't noticed, we've been talking all this time. Seriously Maka, you're supposed to be the smarter one of us."

She rolled her eyes and smacked his hand. "You know what I mean!"

"And you know what I mean, so spit it out." He leaned closer and supported himself on his elbows. "I've something I need to talk to you about."

"Me?" Surprise was visible in her voice. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Well…" How was he supposed to say this without sounding like a douchebag? He jumped over the couch's back and landed beside her, the springs shrieking loudly in protest. "You know your work ethic?"

"What about it?" She tilted her head questioningly, not really following him.

"Liz and I were talking," her eyes seemed to darken, "we're both worried about this."

"And what exactly is _this_?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

He wet his lips. Here goes nothing. "You coming here ever night."

"You want me to leave?" He flinched at her snarl.

"I don't want it, but Liz and I agreed on you coming here on a nightly basis is _very_ suspicious."

"So what?" Maka sneered. Hands balling threateningly and eyes narrowed into a murderous look. "I can go and visit whoever I want without it being weird. I'm a grown woman and I can do whatever I want."

"Calm down. Have you already forgotten your lecture about romantic relationships between co-workers? With your nightly visits here people can think we're lovers."

It was as if the anger had melted off her. Her eyes dawned with realization and her shoulders lowered as the tension left her muscles. She bit her rosy lower lip as her gaze lowered.

"If the council found out about this, I doubt they would believe we _weren't_ intimate. Heck, I'm sure I wouldn't believe it if someone said it to me. If people found out about this, you could lose your position as Deputy Major."

Maka was rendered speechless. She gripped his blanket so hard her knuckles turned white. She mumbled something under her breath.

"What's that?" he questioned.

"I said," her gaze lifted from her balled hands, "it's not fair."

It wasn't the reaction he had expected. "It's not that bad―"

"We're not even in the same department!" she interrupted him, her voice booming in the apartment and threatened to awaken the neighbours. "I'm not even _seeing_ you at work, let along working with you. How can I be biased about you when I don't even give you _any_ orders?"

"You could indirectly support me by raising the funds for the police force―"

"I did the _opposite_ of that and lowered the salaries and opened up more positions within the police force."

"I'm still worried." He grabbed a hold of her shoulders, feeling her tiny shoulders hidden underneath his shirt. Thumbs ran over her collarbones, wishing his shirt was a little lower so he could caress her smooth skin. "You're the best Deputy Major Fabletown has ever had. You've made some awesome changes for Fabletown and we can't risk your position because my apartment is closer to your office."

"You- you think this is about distance?" Her face suddenly twisted with disgust and she gazed at him as if he had spit right in her face. Maybe he had even done that. Except with words.

"Why else would you be here? Your apartment is bigger and better shape and―"

"I'm here because of _you_ , you giant fur ball!"

Now it was his time to be surprised. "Me?"

"Yes, you."

"Why me?" he asked.

"Because," her tongue darted out and wet her lips. "I want to be happy."

He wasn't sure he followed. There wasn't a moment he didn't see some form of happiness on her face. Even when she was working hard with her paperwork or took care of an especially frustrated and angry fable, there had always been a spark of energy and happiness. She enjoyed working and contributing toward the society. It was what made her happy. She was fierce, brave, independent and compassioned, qualities that didn't come as easily for him. He admired her ability to connect with people and reach their hearts, he saw the happy twinkle in her eyes every time she managed to solve a problem.

So why wasn't she happy?

"Aren't you happy now?"

"Not as happy as I want to be." She released the blanket and nervously fiddled with her fingers. What was going on? "It's just… I _know_ I can be happier."

He tilted his head, still confused by the puzzle pieces she was giving him. "You're not making any sense."

"Okay." She composed herself, taking a deep breath and straightened her back. "This is what I wanted to talk to you about. You know about my divorce?"

"Yeah." He braced himself for what he was going to say, he needed to watch her carefully. "Is he… has he bothered you?"

"No! I haven't talked to him since the divorce." She spat as if the thought of her husband made her stomach turn. "I know the divorce hardened my heart. I know I threw myself into work because it made me happy and it made me forget the hurt. Now, when I get off work, I'm just… empty."

"And how exactly does crashing at my place make you happy?"

A warm blush dusted her cheeks and a wide smile grew on her face, beaming at him as if he was the most important person in the whole wide world. "Because you are here. I love hanging out with you and our partnership during The Crooked Man case made it clear to me that I don't want to be _just_ your partner during a case or a colleague. I would- it would mean a lot if you also would want me as a… as a more permanent figure in your life."

His breath was stolen as he stared at her blushing and fidgeting form. Did… had he heard it right? Had she just confessed she liked him and she wanted to be his girlfriend? _The Ice Queen_ melted her heart and fell for _him_? The wolf that broke people's homes till Joe came and sliced him up and almost drowned him in the process. She liked a beast like him who still had problems following what was right. Without Maka during The Crooked Man case, he was sure he would've ripped his throat out and returned with his corpse. Then, it would've been him falling into the Witching Well.

He was immoral. Made the wrong decisions more often than not. Even though she had scolded him on multiple occasions, she had still fallen for _him_. Out of all the decent fables in Fabletown, she chose him.

A wide grin spread on his face and he affectionately grabbed her hand. "You really do have a bad taste in men."

Maka giggled as her shorter and smoother fingers entwined with his. "You know it's an insult to you."

"I know."

"And you still stand by it?"

"Of course. First you chose a douchebag and now you downgrade and chose a murderer and a beast." He snorted as Maka slowly moved closer to him on the couch, long legs slipping out from underneath the blanket and draping over his legs, excitingly they parted and hugged his hips on either side. "It sounds even more fucked up when you say it out loud."

"Hmm." He embarrassingly squeaked when she grabbed a hold of his shirt, fingers running along his buttons. "I think I've great taste." She grabbed a hold of his tie, slowly untying it. His hands grew clammy and heart rushing in his chest, no clue where this would go but he had no intentions of hindering her. When did she even grow this bold?!

"That's why you've―" His breath was taken when she yanked at his tie and her mouth collided with his. Her mouth slanted against his as she crawled up on his lap, her heels wonderfully digging into his lower back as she tugged at his tie. His clothes rustled as she ripped the tie from around his neck and discarded it on the floor. Her fingers feathered over the exposed skin around his throat and she popped one button open at a time.

After unbuttoning his shirt and needy nails scratching his stomach, they pulled away, heavy breaths mixing and foreheads touching. "―absolutely amazing taste." he whispered against her mouth.

"I know." She pushed his shirt off his shoulders and he threw it on the coffee table. "Less talking and more mouth."

"Yes, ma'am." Their mouths connected once again and they had no intentions of stopping.

Everything became a blur. He'd no clue when he lost all of his clothes and when she did or how the hell they got on his bed. How he'd gotten in between her legs was the biggest mystery of them all.

He caressed her bare hip as she slept peacefully beside him, head resting against his chest and ribcage rising and falling for each breath.

Liz wouldn't be happy. Heck, a tiny (microscopic) part of him was disappointed. He was supposed to protect her position and keep Fabletown safe. He had done the complete opposite and turned the possible suspicions into a reality. They had sex and damned it was good. No way was he going to let them drift back into colleagues who once in a while met in the corridor. She was here to stay, and it was exactly what he wanted.

He was the big bad wolf. Immoral to a fault and dangerous beyond belief. He had corrupted his sweet Deputy Major and now, if the council got their hands on this information, he knew her position was threatened.

For her, for the sake of the Fabletown and for them, he was willing to do anything.

That was exactly why he was the big bad wolf.

 


	13. Milkshake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because my computer keeps on crashing on me so I did some exploring in my doc full with stories and I found this story I wrote over a year ago. Thought it was time for it to come out and play. This takes place within the Death Child AU and it's how Maka and Soul met. You don't need to have read Death Child to understand this. Enjoy!

**Milkshake**

Finally. The darkness had fallen and the moon shone and the stars were out as glimmering dots in the night sky. Only the sound of the clock ticking sounded filled the empty hamburger restaurant.

Soul swept the floor from the fries the customers dropped and paper cups teenagers had thrown to the ground and just left. The violin wept in his ear as he kept on sweeping.

The violin came to a soft end and Wes asked. "How did that sound?"

Soul could only roll his eyes. Even though he was trapped in his phone, he managed to get his hands on a violin and played on it whenever he had the chance. He still kept on creating violin pieces even though nobody but him would ever hear them.

"'s like your other pieces. Mom and dad would like it as always."

"But do _you_ like it?" Wes empathised and Soul picked up his phone, seeing Wes excitingly looking at him as if he was a child eagerly waiting to open Christmas presents.

"It's cool. It's excellent like all your other pieces." He was a real musician and a true businessman. He knew what the people wanted and he knew how to deliver it. Every piece he made touched people's hearts just the right way and was appreciated world around by the music community.

"Yeah, but do you think it was too much?"

"You're the one with superior music knowledge. You know these things better than I do."

"But you're my brother. Your opinion matters to me. Especially now when you're the only one who can hear it."

Soul snorted and put the phone back into his pocket, continuing on his sweeping. "It's good. It's a masterpiece as usual."

"But do you _really_ think so and aren't saying it just to get me off your ass―"

The doors slid open and Soul kept on sweeping. "We're closing in a couple of minutes."

"Don't worry. I won't stay too long."

He lifted his eyes from his pile of trash at the young woman entering. Hair in pigtails and her tiny frame drowning in a red knitted sweater. What was a kid doing out this late? Shouldn't she be home doing homework or something?

"A customer is a costumer," he murmured and he swept the trash into a pile when she took a seat by a cleaned table instead of ordering something. From the corner of his eyes, he caught the sight of her burying her face in her hands, running her fingers through her blonde bangs. He collected the trash and threw it into the garbage bag.

Her hands slammed on the table, startling him. "Do you ever just hate your friends?"

Soul cocked his eyebrow at the girl now turned toward him in her seat, clearly expecting some sort of an answer.

He had run with a bad crowd. A crowd he thought cared about him but in fact just used him. Of course he knew.

"Yeah," he confessed as he pulled up the black plastic bag from the can and tied a knot around the top.

"Like, if you tell them no you don't want to go on some random blind date, they should respect that, right?"

"I guess." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Come on, Soul," Wes said from his phone in the pocket. "Talk to her. Seems like she's a young lady in need for someone to talk to and clear her head."

Why _him_ then? Couldn't she just go to her school's counsellor or her parents? He couldn't handle sad girls. Fuck. This was the reason he always hung out with his brother.

Soul turned his back toward the girl as he fished up his phone and raised his eyebrow at his brother's gleeful face. "Ah come on, don't look at me like that. You don't really have any friends and you could have a very positive impact on this girl's life. You've nothing to lose."

Soul rolled his eyes. He had to help this girl out, huh? He wasn't much of a talker and he had no clue how he could make a positive impact on this girl. Heck, if there was something he knew like the back of his hand, it was to mess things up. Throughout his life he had always ruined things for his family and been a huge burden to them. Now he was supposed to help this girl.

How could he even help a young woman like her? He didn't know how to listen and give good advice and all of that jazz. He didn't even know what he would do. He had no clue!

"Like, I don't even _want_ to go on a date with a guy I have never met before. It would be too weird being stuck in a restaurant with someone I'm supposed to get to know and be in a romantic setting with a stranger."

He hadn't ever been on a blind date before, so he couldn't relate. Girls had never been interested in him and he hadn't been interested in them either. It had always been easier just to avoid the whole dating thing. How was he even supposed to give advice to her on something he had no clue about?

That's when it struck him.

He went over to the milkshake machine and quickly whipped up a strawberry milkshake and returned to the girl. Nobody disliked milkshakes, right?

"Sounds like you've a rough time." He placed the milkshake in front of her.

"But I don't have any money with me," she immediately defended.

"It's on me."

Her emerald green eyes widened as she stared at him. Big bright green eyes looked at him astonished. "Thank you." She pulled the milkshake toward her and grabbed the straw, taking a sip of the milkshake.

"Ask her if you should call her parents to get her," Wes said.

"Um, do your parents know you're here?" He returned to the register to start counting the cash. He doubted a teenage girl could beat him down and steal the money. Why not let the girl warm up in here. It was chilly outside and he bet even with the huge sweater, she must've been cold.

"If he did, he would probably be here dragging me back to the dorm."

"Dorm?" The question was thrown out before he had a chance to stop it.

"I live in a college dorm." She sipped on her milkshake, this time turning more toward him so they could talk properly.

"I see."

"Don't just say _I see_. She's obviously interested in talking to you and she's in college and that can only mean she's of age! Ask her what she's studying." Wes pitched in. "Oh! And while you're at it, place the phone on the counter. I want to see all of this."

Soul mentally rolled his eyes. Of course his brother's mind would go over there. It's not like he wanted his first time to be with some random girl who was nice to him. It… it had to be special.

But he did as his brother said and fished up the phone from his pocket and casually placed it on the counter. Who knew his brother would guide him through the world of talking to girls. Soul never saw it coming for sure.

The task of closing down the restaurant and counting the cash was completely forgotten in favour of talking to this strange girl. It was… it really was a while ago since he talked to someone who wasn't Wes.

"So what's your major?"

"I'm studying law. I'm on my second year."

"Law major," Wes cued. "That's impressive. And she's pretty cute."

She was pretty cute. Her eyes were a rich green reminding him of freshly cut grass and the avocado on the sushi he enjoyed to eat so much. Sandy natural blonde hair and not the bleached damaged hair he saw a lot of girls rock. Her lips a rich pink from the milkshake. She was indeed a beautiful sight.

"How about you?"

His eyes fluttered before he shook his head. "I'm not going to college." He hadn't even finished high school.

"So you haven't decided yet?"

Yeah he wasn't going to college. He didn't have the energy to pick up his studies and pass high school just to continue hell by going to college. He wasn't nearly as ambitious as the young woman in front of him. He could only imagine all the hard work she had to put in in order to go to college as a law major. "Something along those lines."

"How old are you?"

"22. You?"

"You don't ask for a woman's age―"

"21." Wes's hiss was quickly cut off by Maka's straight up answer. Wes let out a quick sigh. "You didn't go to Shibusen High, did you?"

Soul could only chuckle. "That obvious?"

"No, it's just my friends are older so I think I should've seen you before. You're… memorable."

He leaned on the counter and chuckled. "Yeah, I stick out like a sore thumb in a crowd."

"But it's not bad." She placed her now empty milkshake on the table. "I mean, it is unusual, I've never met someone with white hair and red eyes, but it looks good on you."

"Ohhhh! Did you hear that, bro?! She's _attracted_ to you!" Wes whooped loudly in his ear, celebrating it as if him and the woman had announced a pregnancy or something just as extravagant. "You totally got to ask her out."

Hell no he wasn't. There was a huge difference between finding someone attractive and a polite way of saying _you don't look like a freak_ , her way was definitely like the later. A successful and beautiful woman like her would under _no circumstances_ be into someone with his looks and flips burger. There had to be so many good guys in her law class hitting on her and all. Who knew, she might even have a boyfriend or she might not be guy orientated at all.

"I bet you haven't met someone with my teeth either." He flashed his teeth, expecting some kind of horrified expression but instead, her eyes widened with curiosity.

"Wow." She shot up from her seat and crossed the space up to the register. She took a closer look at his teeth, and she didn't look at them with fear or disgust, just amazement. "Did you get them filled in?"

"No. They're natural."

"No way! That's really cool." Her eyes seemingly twinkled as she admired his mouth from every angle. "They look so sharp."

"Because they are."

"Look at you conversing so effortlessly with a girl. Ask if she wants a ride back to the dorms. Maybe she will even reward you with a date." He could just hear the flirtation in his voice as if he could transmit his thirst to Soul. This chick wasn't interested in him like that. She didn't do the winking or fluttered her eyes excessively as if she had dust in her eyes. She was just… curious.

But he couldn't deny the fact she was attractive and _maybe_ he was _a little_ interested in her. But just a little! He wasn't even sure, he had never had a girl admire his features like she dis. It was… heart-warming. He felt special and he liked it.

A soft melody played and the girl fished up her phone from her black jeans and unlocked it. Her eyes almost rolled into her head as she seemingly read a text. "I got to get going back to the dorms before my friends start turning the city upside down looking for me." She put the phone back into her pocket. "It was nice meeting you and thanks for the milkshake. It really did lift my spirit."

"You're welcome." He waved it away.

"Come on bro, ask if she needs a ride back to the dorms. It's dark and a young lady shouldn't be walking alone."

Yeah right. The girl had managed to get here and he was sure she could manage get back in one piece.

A smile played on her lips as she waved goodbye and exited the restaurant.

…

He was sure he wouldn't see the girl ever again. Sure this was all just a nice conversation to her, but his next shift his colleague told him a girl wearing pigtails had asked when his next shift would be.

It had stunned and flustered him to the point he had to go to the bathroom to calm down his racing heart. He must've left a good impression on her or else she wouldn't want to see him, right? If she just wanted a burger, she wouldn't have asked about him. He didn't dare to get his hopes up because she really was a sweet girl and he enjoyed their chat, it was surely just small talk with the cashier, right?

He couldn't get the blonde girl out of his head. Her cute twinkling eyes as she examined his teeth and the vague freckles on her nose. Just thinking of her sweet and warming smile made his heart racing.

For such a long time, he had just had his brother, before and after the accident, now, he had suddenly connected with this strange girl, and they connected _well_. He… he kind of regretted not asking for her name. He bet it was beautiful.

His brother didn't help him with his developing crush on the pigtailed girl. Wes was always notorious for his teasing and now when he liked a girl, it was like tossing gas on a flame. Every sentence was about her. He encouraged him to take detours passed the collage so he could possibly run into her. He didn't exactly enjoy going to crowded places and have children unknowingly screaming out their curiosity about him toward their parent and either receive a _just stay away from him_ or _some are unfortunate with hideous looks_. It was a situation he would like to avoid. That was why he worked night shifts and was in the kitchen instead at the cash register.

It was night once again and he swept the floor once again from the trash the customers had dropped. The night was calm and he kept on cleaning to the pleasant sound of Wes's violin in his ear.

The automatic double doors slid open.

"We're closing soon."

"I promise I won't stay for too long."

He stiffened. It was like déjà vu as his gaze slowly went to the strange woman standing in the entrance in a black trench coat and cute red scarf. She smiled gently toward him and she raised her hand where a bill was.

"I bought money this time."

"She's back! She's totally into you! You gotta ask her out or at least give her a ride home this time!" Wes hooted in his ear.

He was left speechless. He could barely believe it. _She was here!_ He really didn't expect her to return here, sure, his colleague had said she asked about his next shift― but he still didn't think she would return! Let alone _now_.

Silently he went over to the cash register and she went up to it and placed the bill on the desk. "Two strawberry milkshakes, please." He couldn't help but notice heat rising from her neck to her cheeks.

He took the money and grabbed the first cup, went over to the milkshake machine.

"And, um," the blonde gulped as she fiddled with the hem of her purple turtleneck. "Maybe… you would want to go, well, I read about this good movie on the web and it had gotten quite good reviews and maybe… you would want to go and watch it. With me."

He accidentally spilled the milkshake and turned toward her.

What had she just said?

"I can't believe you got asked out?!" Wes gushed with joy in his ear and broke out playing a happily melody on his violin. "You got to accept!"

"It's just…" she kept on fiddling with the hem of her shirt nervously. "… you seem like you're a nice person and well, it would be cool to hang out with you."

Was this really happening to him? He couldn't quite wrap his mind around the idea that _she_ wanted to hang out with _him_. It made him… happy. Really, really happy. He had never really had anyone _willingly_ hang out with him except for his brother.

He awakened from his shock and he wiped the milkshake mess on his pant and grabbed a new cup. "Sure." He made two new milkshakes and placed them on the counter.

"Really? That's great!" She beamed with joy and she pulled out a pen from her jacket. She started scribbling down digits on one of the milkshakes and she pushed it toward him. "Here's my number."

"Wait, but it's yours." He pushed the milkshake toward her.

"You paid for mine a couple days ago. It's yours."

His heart fluttered pleasantly and he could only gaze at her phone number on his cup. He did have a phone, but it was taken by his brother and didn't work. How the fuck would he manage to call her?

"Do you have one?"

Soul cocked his eyebrow with confusion.

"A phone number?"

"Oh." Soul massaged his neck.

"Just tell her the truth," Wes said in his ear.

"My phone's broken. I haven't bought a new one yet." Soul fished up the phone and waved the broken screen at her.

"Oh, okay, but you better call me!" She pouted and she looked beyond adorable.

"Don't worry. When you see a creepy phone number from a pay phone, you'll know it's me."

She raised her milkshake. "Cheers to pay phones and milkshakes."

Soul chuckled and raised his cup, gently bumped his cup with hers. "Cheers to…?"

"Maka. Maka Albarn."

"Cheers to you, Maka Albarn."

 


	14. Potato

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a stupid idea I had in 2016 that I just never published. So guess what I'm doing? Some cleaning out all of my drafts I've build up. I'm going to edit all of them and then publish them I think are okay for your eyes to see. This is a stupid drabble where I thought it would be cute to ask someone out with a potato XD

The spiral potato peel grew longer and longer for every time Maka's knife slide around the potato. The knife reached the top and the peel tumbled down into the brown paper bag the teacher had given out to the student. The potato plopped down into the pot full with water.

"Should I turn on the stove?" Maka whipped her head toward the side to see her partner Tsubaki peeling a potato of her own.

"If we turn on the pot now the potatoes could be cooked unevenly." She grabbed a new potato and cut her knife into the potato. "Let's just wait till they're all cut―"

Laughter burst out behind them. Maka's eyebrow twitched at the annoying snorting laughter of her annoying childhood friend. "THAT'S SO FUNNY BRAH!"

"I know." She could hear the pride in Soul's voice. "I've never seen Wes so confused b―"

"Can you two shut up!" Maka whirled around and sneered toward the two boys. Soul flashed his sharp teeth in that asshole way of his she hated so for making her stomach fill with butterflies. "Some of us are trying to focus."

"Geez, what crawled up in your ass and died?" Black*Star obnoxiously leaned on the counter so low if someone was to poke him he would be falling on his ass.

"None of your business Star."

"That worked up about college?" The grin on Soul's face immediately fell from his face. "'s nothing you need to worry about. With that nerdy brain of yours, you'll go to med school."

Her grip tightened on her peeler at the delightful tingle in her fingers. That wasn't what she was concerned with. Her college essays and applications were already sent in and now all she could do was wait. She already knew Soul had been accepted to the prestige music school. If she was accepted to her number one choice, they would be thousands of miles away from each other. It bothered her how attached she'd become to Soul over the past years in high school. He'd grown from being the annoying music kid in the back of the classroom to her best friend she enjoyed bantering with. Disgusting butterflies infected her core and his husky voice made her body heat and fingers tingle.

High school would come to an end and all of them would go their separate ways. No more tea ceremonies with Tsubaki. No shopping with the sisters. No tutoring Black*Star. And no more of Soul.

She rolled her eyes with annoyance and turned back to her station. Roughly she cut strip for strip off the potato. Tsubaki concerned glanced at her as the peels landed in the trash bag.

"Don't worry about it." Tsubaki comfortingly bumped her hip with hers. "I'm sure someone will ask you to prom."

She sighed heavily, feeling defeat weight down her shoulders. "I don't want to go alone."

"We're not going to stick with our dates throughout the night. It's our night. It'll be our last prom together."

She would rather not be the awkward fifth wheel seated in a booth full of couples making out. And seeing Soul with his tongue down some girl's throat isn't something she would want to see.

"I don't even have a dress. And I'm quite late out to get one now."

"I'm sure there're some pretty dresses left."

"I just d―" Her head whipped toward her feet to see a stray potato that bumped into her black combat boot. She cocked her eyebrow and picked up the potato to see the peeled peel created letters. _Prom?_ The shaky letters read. She turned backwards to see Soul smirking wide toward her, peeler in hand.

"I'm sure I could pull some string and get a good dress for you. If you still want to go. That is." Soul Said.

A smile spread on her face and she threw the potato at him. He caught it with both of his hands. "If you insist. I guess I could tag along."


	15. Th Curious Life of Soul Evans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a story I got when I saw Cry's walk-through of Finding Paradise. It made me start thinking how I could turn it into a love story and this is what it turned out. I hope you all like it!
> 
> Warnings: Implied sexual content.
> 
> This is angsty because star-crossed lovers.

**The Curious Life of Soul Evans**

It was odd. There had been signs to warn her that something was off from the usual. But then again her experience in the field hadn't prepared her for this since she had only handled barely a handful of cases before this one. Her education had taught her how she would do the memory manipulation for elderly so they could find peace and live their last moments without any regrets before death would whisk them away.

The first warning was more discrete than the others. It was the specific request for _her_ to come and perform the operation. She was a newbie. She hadn't made a name of herself in the industry and someone specifically asked for _her._ People didn't know anything about her in the industry. She wasn't a young newly graduate excited to start working, no, she was a woman in her thirties who decided after a couple of years working as a doctor at a hospital she wanted to do something else with her life. A short specialised education at the company specialising in reforming a person's memories to their wishing, she was ready. She had great co-workers who were more successful and experienced in the business, but the client still wanted her. She wasn't quite sure how the client managed to get her name since the company hadn't yet added her name and picture on their homepage.

The second sign was her boss revealing the fact from day one she had graduated, the client had asked for her. It was… odd. Really odd. It hadn't ever happened before and her boss had made sure to convey it. Since the client's wish had been a lot vaguer than the usual cases a newly graduate like herself to take on, she had to get certain experience before she could take on the client's case. But today was the day since the client's condition had worsened and time was running out, she needed to perform the operation before it was too late.

The third sign was more of a hunch of something wasn't quite right. When she arrived at the client's house, something was off. It wasn't the fact her client, Soul Evans she had read in the profile, was unmarried with no kids, it was the ordinary case the company had gotten. Lonely people wanting to create memories of a happier and meaningful life in their head before they passed away. It was the fact after she had been let inside by Soul Evans's brother Wesley Evans and met her client, something was definitely out of the ordinary.

Soul Evans had been bound to his bed with a machine by his side and a tube going from it and snaked under his blanket. It had been the dialysis machine keeping him alive as long as his failing kidneys could take. Soul Evans… he was unusual with red eyes staring at her. But the most unusual was the fact his face had lit up the moment he saw her. A wide smile had spread on his wrinkly face and eyes had sparked as if she was his saviour. She had brushed it off by saying to herself, in a way, she was his saviour. She was going to give him new memories of a better life and save his last time in this world from being a misery.

It hadn't stopped there. As she and her team had set up everything, he had asked her everything he could about the machines, how the procedure would go and all of that. He certainly was a lot more interested than her last clients had been. But she had brushed it off as a control issue, how wrong she had been.

It wasn't until everything was set and she had fetched him a glass of water before the procedure, it all fell into place.

She had logged in to her system and entered his mind.

"Shhhh! Don't scream! It's okay! Calm down!" Mr. Evans, a much younger man with less wrinkles and thicker hair held her shoulders as she screamed in fright.

"You're not supposed to do this!" she screamed in fright.

She couldn't understand it. Usually she was like a fly on the wall, living in the memories and watching the client live their life, this couldn't happen! The client wasn't supposed to be able to interact with her in the system! The instructors had never taught her anything about this!

He muffed her screams with his hand. "This isn't weird. We've met before—"

She screamed against his warm hand on her mouth as she cried to let her go.

"—I-I mean, we _know_ each other. This isn't weird."

"Not weird?!" Maka yelled when she smacked his hand from her. "You're not supposed to even _see_ me! This is _a_ _simulation!_ "

"No, no, no, no." He shook his head, his bangs caressing his eyebrows. "Of course I'm supposed to see you— we _love_ each other."

"Whaaaaat?"

"Just…" He braced himself. "Just hear me out, okay."

"You better explain this right away or I swear I'll log out of here—"

"I will, just…" he grabbed her wrist, staring deep in her eyes. "… don't go."

She let him talk. The more he talked, the more things didn't make sense. This was supposed to be a memory, but somehow, this had been a grey area between reality and simulation. Soul Evans told her she had been here before. They had already met before. And they… he told her they were in love. How she couldn't comprehend. It was a fifty year age gap between them! She hadn't seen him before in her entire life! Never before had she seen a person with _red eyes!_

It became crazier and crazier the more he talked. They loved each other. They were in the grey area of a simulation and reality. He had called _her_ to perform the procedure so he could meet her in person (which he hadn't actually met her outside of this strange realm because he wasn't at the age he was outside of the realm). It didn't make any sense at all. Not a single word coming out from his mouth felt like it was in English. It was all spoken so unfamiliarly and she couldn't comprehend how everything made sense from the textbooks she had learned.

"Listen," Mr. Evans spoke as he cupped her shoulder. "I know this is weird, but it doesn't matter. The reason you are here, is because this is what we want— _I_ want. When I told your company I wanted _you_ to come and make me happy because this is what will make me happy."

She raised her eyebrow. "So… what you are trying to say… you wanted me in particular to be happy?"

" _Yes_." A huge smile spread on his face as his other hand joined on her other shoulder. "I want as much time as I can get with you while you poke through my memories. It's all I want since the last time you explored my mind."

"Last time?"

"It's complicated. Even I barely understood it when you explained it. But… this is your first time you've met me, but for me, this isn't my first time. Or rather, this is my last time meeting you in this world. The next time I'll meet you is outside in the real world when I called you to do the procedure."

"So while I go through your memories from older to younger, you've known me when you were younger to older?"

Mr. Evans nodded. "Hit the nail on the head."

This was the world of bizarre that didn't make any sense to her. "Wait… but how are we even interacting with each other? You're supposed to be a memory. You're not supposed to be able to interact with me."

A wide grin grew on his face, exposing razor sharp teeth she hadn't noticed before. He pulled up the sleeve of his leather jacket and exposed— the company's co-pilot equipment!

"How did you get that?!" she exclaimed.

"You told me exactly where it was."

"No! No I didn't!"

"Yes you did." A wide grin grew on his face. "You told me the first time we met— for me, but for you it was the last time we met inside of the simulation."

She opened her mouth to sneer at him but quickly closed her mouth. What was going on? This was beyond insane and completely impossible! First time for her but this was the last time they met _for him?_ Time couldn't get tangled up like that. It was impossible! And how in the world did he even know all of this _before the simulation!_ This was beyond comprehending and backwards.

Her mouth tightened and so did her fists. "Tell me, is this the real world for you or is this just some dream?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "To be honest, I'm not quite sure. One moment I'm doing something and the next one, you're here and everything just…"

"Just what?"

He rolled his tongue within his mouth, searching for the right words to say. "Look around you."

It was the first she really took in her surroundings. She was by a tiny lake or a huge pound, she guessed the later with geese and ducks swimming on the surface. Benches were thoughtfully placed by the trail and she could only guess she was within a park. The environment wasn't strange. In fact, this was the first time things acted _normal_. There was an exact copy of Mr. Evans scattered around the palace, one seated on a bench frozen in place. A different one by the side of the lake and another frozen in his step a little further back from the others.

"This is completely normal," she commented. "But what is it to you?"

"I don't really know. It's not like it's _normal_. Everything is the same one moment and then this… everything just freezes up and I see myself the last moments in this place and you are here."

Maka nodded slowly. She was starting to understand. At least grasp the complexity of the situation. This was the first time she met him, but for him, they had already known each other for a life time. The simulation machine to reach in into his memories, it had somehow… she couldn't describe it, but somehow, it had altered and somehow managed to bend space and time for her to reach him not only in his memories, but in reality too. Time had twisted and tangled around them and allowed them to reach each other in such a unique way that had never happened before.

This. This right here. She was making history. A discovery she could barely wrap her mind around. With this, if they could control it, it could be a way to reach into the past and correct the mistakes. It was an unbelievable power if they could harness it, a power that could be used against them. Nothing she would want to spread or let any other person know about this.

She had to keep it a secret.

Even from her own team.

Soul Evans raised his eyebrow and waved his hand. "Hello?"

She shook her head and offered him a smile. "So…" she exhaled. "You can tell me now, what is it you want me to help you with?"

A soft smile spread on his face and wrinkles appeared around his eyes. "As much time as I can get with you inside of this simulation."

She raised her eyebrow quizzically and tilted her head.

"As I said before, we love each other. All I have ever wanted was to be with you and spend time with you."

It was so strange. The way he looked at her. Red eyes incredibly soft and a smile warm and smooth like honey. A look she had only seen people truly in love with each other offer their other half. Never before had she been on the other end of one of them. Not until now. It was… nice.

Her life hadn't been all romance and love. Her parents had fought most of their time together before her mother filed for a divorce. It certainly shaped her perspective on love, the need for intimacy and love everybody seemingly needed, she didn't possess. Never had she looked for it other than the poor attempts she made in college because her other friends were going on dates and they set her up on a date with some guy she had no interest in.

Soul Evans. He loved her. There were no more words needed for him to convince his affection for her. His eyes reflected what was within his soul. The eyes were truly the windows to the soul.

"That's all?" she asked.

"That's all," he confirmed.

"Well, I will do my best to give you as much time as possible, but my boss expects the case to be solved within two to three days. I can stretch it by slowing down my work pace, but I can't give you forever."

"I am aware."

"Good." She nodded. "So… what do you want to do?"

A huge grin grew on his face. "How about we start with a walk?"

…

She pulled the gear off her head and sighed heavily, massaging the bridge of her nose. Her thighs and butt were sore from sitting too long in her chair and she stood up, flexing her legs and stretching out her arms above her head.

"How did it go?" Wesley Evans stood up from his seat, supporting himself on his cane. "Is he fixed?"

She couldn't help but her eyes trailed to Mr. Evans' still sleeping body on the bed. "With the vague request he made and the amount of memories I have to go through, this isn't something I can fix in a day."

"Is it… you can fix him, right?"

She nodded. "I'll make sure he will get the content and happy life he requested."

Wesley Evans seemed to sigh with relief and a smile grew on his face. He slowly went around Soul's bed and placed his hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad." He patted her shoulder and exited the room.

So he knew about this too. Mr. Evans had told him about this, huh?

"Maka…?" Mr. Evans murmured as he rocked his head slightly.

"I'm here," she replied and went over to his side, removing the head gear and placing it on the night stand. His eyes cracked open on his aged face. His face wrinkling more than a raisin when he cracked a weak smile toward her, a smile she recognized so well from within the simulation. Minus all the wrinkles, age spots and pale skin.

"You're finally _here_ ," he breathed out, throwing out the loaded word. "You have no idea how happy I am."

She couldn't. There was no way she could even comprehend this situation. All his life… since the first moment he met her, he rejected every female in order to be with _her_ even though it was impossible. He waited for her. Every day he had waited for her, hoping she would come and visit him so they could spend some time together. He didn't get marry or had any kids so he could be completely available to _her_.

It was a romantic thought, to be so in love with someone you would forsake every other to the favour of simply _waiting_ for that one person, to spend a couple of hours before she had to jump to the next memory he would have to wait months, sometimes even _years_ for her.

It was stupid. Given up living in his time and just longing for some fantasy girl to visit him briefly. She was nothing special, certainly not someone worth throwing away a whole life waiting for. Soul Evans… he rejected the living and lived for a fantasy. She knew she hadn't exactly dated seriously or ever been in love, only the occasional lustful crush on someone who was a complete waste of time. There was no way she could've done something like Mr. Evans— _lived_ like him.

She exhaled steadily as she focused her attention on the dialysis machine he was hooked up on. Steady and good stability. For now.

"Get a good night's rest Mr. Evans. Tomorrow will be a long day," she spoke and ignored him completely.

…

It was odd hanging with Mr. Evans— _Soul_ within the simulation. For every new memory he had, they did something new together. Often they had dinner and talked about their lives. It was every meaning of odd, two people being able to meet and talk in the one place where time and reality knotted together. As cliché as it sounded…

It was fate.

At least that was what Soul thought.

The Soul in his fifties was right by her side with more hair on his head and less wrinkles on his face, but it was still mature to match his aged body.

Both stared out at the ocean of desert sand in front of them along with the setting sun slowly disappearing in the horizon. "I always enjoy coming here," he said. "It always took my mind off work and family and just… be alone with my thoughts."

"You were alone a lot, huh?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, I've never really been good with people. Interacting with people has always been more straining than rewarding."

How she knew. She had been there on the day of his last day at his workplace, he had tried to hide away in his office and avoided all the people as well as he could. That day he had been so exhausted he had fallen asleep on the couch. It wasn't enough that she had been there, but it had done some good since she was there. She had enabled interaction so she could be present and cheer him on, be by his side throughout the festivities.

"You know you are quite the hermit. Only occasionally eating dinner with Wes and annually going out with your work buddies. Even _I_ hang out with my colleagues more than you, and I'm a pretty bad case."

Soul chuckled heartily as he turned toward her, flashing his intriguing smirk. "I know, but the loneliness hasn't really bothered me. It's relaxing being alone and… I've always gotten everything I needed from your visits."

It was scary. The way he looked at her when he was talking about her. His eyes grew so warm and… it did something to her. It made her… happy. Having someone for once looking at her with affection was something she didn't think she would experience since she bloomed last out of the class in high school and… no one was interested in her like that. It felt good knowing, truly knowing and _seeing_ affection in someone's eyes toward _her._ Was it bad accepting his affection toward her to make herself feel good? It was, wasn't it? But Soul didn't reject it. He knew very well she couldn't return those feelings, but he still offered her his love for every new memory she went to. Always so eager to bare his heart and offer her all his love to her even when he knew very well she couldn't accept it.

She gulped and she lowered her head at his hand only an inch away, had been just like in the previous memories. Always being an inch away from her, offering her his touch and understood when she didn't touch him.

But…

Cautiously she closed the gap, allowing her pinkie to touch his. A smile grew on her face when slowly Soul entwined their hands together and they stood in silence as they gazed out at the desert in front of her.

…

She sighed heavily as she flopped down on her bed, freeing her hair from her ponytail and looking up at the ceiling of the motel she stayed in.

She couldn't face him.

When it had been time to log out and she had to face the _real_ Soul, she couldn't face him. It grew harder and harder for every time she had to log out. The Soul she got to know inside of the simulation was very much alive, but he wasn't okay. She had been a doctor before. Only a glimpse of his medical history was all she needed to know within a soon future he would be gone.

And the reality of it hurt her more than she wanted to admit.

He touched her. A way she hadn't been touched before. It wasn't simply about the sensation of his stronger hand in hers or the affection and the clear adoration in his eyes, but he got her in a way nobody had ever done before. She could talk to him. Really talk to him. She hadn't had such a close bond to someone before. And… he was a _really_ hot 37 years old.

She bit her lower lip as she squeezed her thighs shut. It wasn't just a thing when she wanted to get down and dirty with him. She really wanted _him_. The way they were inside of the simulation. She had never felt more loved in her entire life. It wasn't just that, maybe it was to a beginning, but she was really starting to _like_ him. She liked hanging around with him and talking to him and they had chemistry.

It made it all more painful.

They couldn't be together. He was fifty years older than her and on his death bed. They couldn't have a life together. She was already pushing the limit of the amount of time she had to spare and within just a matter of days, she would be separated from him. There was nothing they could do. Their feelings were a waste. Soul had given up on living with a different woman in his own time who he could share those usual milestones with. He had given it all up for _her_. She couldn't grasp even the thought of how he could do that, how he could love someone so confidently he was willing to live a life of waiting just to see her once in a while. Or was he foolish for doing it? Maybe even unable to move on to someone new because she offered him excitement with her sudden appearance. Or maybe it was because he only thought she could ever love him. She didn't know. All she knew is Soul had spent his whole life waiting for her and here she finally was, completely unable to meet his gaze when she logged off.

She wanted to like him. Wanted to give them a chance, but it was just impossible. What they had wasn't something that could last. It wasn't something she could write home to her father and talk about. She was sure Soul would die from a heart attack after her father was done confronting him. It was utterly crazy how they had been brought together. Cared for each other. They were so close but yet so far away.

She rose into a sitting position on her bed, running her hand through her loose curls.

She needed to talk to him. Wanted more answers. Not from within the simulation to his younger self. She needed them outside of the simulation. From the _real_ him.

She inhaled a breath of courage before she decided on visiting him.

It wasn't far from Soul's modest home. The cool night nibbled on her skin as she waited by his front door, nervously tapping her foot against the doormat. She bit her lower lip as she rang the doorbell again. When she was about to turn back and confront him in the morning instead, the door opened and there he was. The little hair he had on his head going in all directions and his face more wrinkled than a raisin the moment his eyes laid upon her.

"Maka…" he whispered.

"Hi…" her hands tightened on her sleeves. "Can I come in?"

"Sure!" He invitingly opened up the door and let her inside, closing it behind her. "I'm afraid if you want some coffee you'll have to make it yourself― but I can get you water if you want?"

"Don't strain yourself. You can take a seat while I get some water."

"Oh… yeah, there's a pitcher in the cabinet next to the fridge."

While Soul took a seat on the couch in the living room, groaning as he took a seat as she grabbed two glasses and a pitcher, filling it with water. She entered the living room and found Soul rubbing his belly where the catheter hid underneath his shirt.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he answered, but she knew very well he wasn't. At this moment, maybe, but the dialysis would fail him soon.

She took a seat beside him and unloaded the pitcher and the two glasses on the coffee table. She poured them some water and she took a sip from her glass. "I came here because I needed to talk to you."

"What is it?"

"It's about your life."

"What about it?" He lifted his glass and took a large gulp.

"Why? Just… why? Why would you live like _this_?"

"What's the 'this' you are implying?"

"Why did you live such a secluded life? Why didn't you live the normal life getting married and having kids and…" her voice faltered.

"I have the feeling the real question you're asking me is why I would commit myself to a woman from the future who would occasionally visit me for an hour before she would have to go to the next memory."

She bit her lower lip and she cautiously nodded. "Why did you?"

The usual side smirk she recognized so well from within the simulation appeared, plus with all the wrinkles. "It wasn't a decision I really made. I was in love and I enjoyed being with you. There was no one like you and…" he shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't want anyone else. I think I was around my late thirties when I truly decided I was willing to give marriage and kids up because the time I spent with you was worth it. You know, like… if I couldn't have those things with you, then I didn't want it."

It… it was touching. A smile spread on her face as her grip on her glass tightened. "I still don't know how you could choose me. We're fifty years apart and… what good did _this_ even do?"

"It did all the good I needed," he answered. "I'm happy with my life. I'm incredibly grateful for being given the opportunity to know you and falling in love with you. It truly is the greatest gift in my life."

"But wouldn't you want to have kids and get married, there is not _just_ me in this world. There are better people here than me."

"I don't want anybody else than _you_. I love you and I wouldn't change a thing." He reached out to her and placed his hand on her knee. "Just because I didn't have the usual milestones people want in their life doesn't mean my life is less fulfilling. This is the life I wanted and I would choose to live this life every time." A smile spread on his face. "Don't worry about me. I'm completely satisfied with my life. All I've ever wanted and needed is you."

She bit her lower lip.

She couldn't see how he could be so content with his life. He had lived in isolation and held onto a love he couldn't keep. Sitting around and waiting for her to come to spend just a few moments with before she had to go away again. She couldn't see how she could be fulfilled by mere moments with the one she loved throughout her life. But… Soul was happy. It was what he needed and if he was happy, it was good?

She exhaled and she smiled, gathering his hand in hers. "Why did you have to be fifty years older than me?"

He chuckled. "I could be your age if you logged in on the simulation."

He was right. When she logged out, he would be around her age. So if she logged in, they could really…

"Are you up for it?"

His usual smirk wrinkled his whole face. "I still got some energy left in this ole' body."

…

It didn't take long before she had helped him to his bedroom and plugged him into the simulation, including getting the co-pilot gear on his wrist. Before they knew it, she was logged in and dropped to the next available memory which happened to take place in his bedroom in his apartment.

"Maka…"

She turned around and there he was, fifty years younger and never before had he been more handsome. Thick white hair, no wrinkles and the most gorgeous red eyes she appreciated so much. The one feature that never aged. Always remained beautiful no matter what age he was.

"Soul…" she whispered and closed the gap between them, throwing her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He didn't hesitate one moment and returned the embrace just as fiercely.

"You're finally here…" his lips feathered over the shell of her ear. "I've waited so long…"

"You have?" she asked.

He nodded. "Almost two years."

Two years? That was a huge gap. Usually it was a year at most between the jumps from memory to memory, she wondered what had caused the big rift. Was there really no significant memory closer she could jump to? Or… could it be because of her? She didn't like the thought one bit.

"I'm sorry." She caressed his neck with her thumb.

He let out a short chuckle. "You don't even know what you're apologized about."

"All I need to know is I kept you waiting and that waiting has hurt you," she murmured. "And for that I am sorry."

"You are too considerate."

Her grip on him tightened as she rested her cheek against his leather jacket. This was it. Right here. Holding him awakened butterflied in her stomach and fluttered around. The sensation hadn't been present for years, she could barely recognize the nervousness and the… the sensation of falling in love. It was truly strange how she could fall in love with him when they had only known each other for a couple of days. He had wormed his way inside of her heart. And she didn't want the sensation to leave. Soul was a great guy. Greater than any other man she had ever met. Soul was genuine and right in that moment, she understood with clarity why Soul had waited for her like he had.

She could see herself loving him― she was already falling in love with him. He was the greatest man she knew. She could marry him. Have kids with him. He was… the one. The one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Grow old with him.

How cruel life was.

First they presented him to her, brought him into her life and to what? For her to fall in love with and then be broken the moment she was out of the simulation. Unlike him, she would have to deal with the aftermath. His whole life he had lived with her occasional visits. He had that. What they had had just lasted a couple of days for her. He would be gone. What would she do then?

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

She hadn't noticed it, but tears had trickled down her cheeks and wet his leather jacket.

"I'm sorry." She pulled away and she quickly wiped away her tears. "It just… it washed over me."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "No… but can I try something different?"

"Anything," he answered without hesitation. The trust he had in her never ceased to amaze her.

"Stand still." She cupped his cheeks, closed the gap until their lips barely touched. His warm breath hit her lips, stood completely still as she had instructed him. She inhaled a breath of courage before she closed the gap. His lips were warm. And soft. He kissed her softly, not pushing it to go further. His hands went to rest on her hips, thumbs caressing her sides as they kept on kissing.

She didn't want to stop. She was enchanted by his taste. His touch. It made the butterflies go haywire and made the delicious sensation of love spread throughout her body, heating the blood in her veins. Nothing mattered except right here. Right now, this wasn't a simulation. He wasn't fifty years older than her. They were no longer on the opposite side of the timeline. They were together. It was all that mattered.

Her hands trailed up to his neck and she finally ran her hands through his thick soft hair. She giggled against his lips when he dipped her like she had seen so many times in rom coms. They separated and his forehead rested against hers. His eyes so soft, but they _sparkled_. It was joy. She just knew it.

"That was a good first kiss," she whispered, her lips pulsing from the aftermath.

What she hadn't expected was the joy on his face sucked out in just a moment. "First… kiss?"

"Yes?" It hit her. For her this was their first kiss, but for him…

He pulled her up from the dip and backpedalled as he ran his hand through his hair. "No… don't tell me this really is our first kiss for you…"

"It is…" she sadly confirmed. This meant Soul wouldn't be sharing any kisses with her. This, it would only get worse for him. The intimacy would get fewer and fewer until she would freak on him for being independent in the simulation. This was really the prime of his life.

He bit his lower lip and he lowered his head. "I knew this would happen eventually…"

"Don't say it like that." She grabbed his hand and pulled it away from his head, giving it a good squeeze. "Simply because the kisses comes to an end doesn't mean the fun between us ends. Believe me, you enjoyed yourself just as much as now."

"It's not that." His grip on her tightened. "This means… you're going to fall out of love slowly."

She shook her head. "No. Fall in love." She lifted his hand and kissed his knuckles tenderly. "There may not be any more kisses shared between us, but what you will do from hereon is what made me get to this point. What you will do now is make me fall in love with you. This is your most important part. You got my love, now you will have to do the work for it."

"You're right." He offered her a weak smile. "It's time I charm my pants off just like you did."

"I did?"

"Yeah, you did." He pulled at her hand and rested his forehead against hers. "It didn't take you long though. You had me wrapped around your pinkie finger the moment you said 'hi'."

She giggled. "Well you, sir, you are very charming." She planted a kiss on his lips. "And Respectful." Another one. "And kind." She planted a long kiss. "And incredible and utterly perfect. For me."

"And I will always be just for you," he whispered, lips caressing hers. "I will always be yours only."

Those words should've scared her. For him to live a life waiting for her, but she knew he was happy, and she wanted to be just as committed to him as he was to her. She wanted to go through this journey. She wanted to fall in love with him. Getting to know him was everything she had ever wanted and needed.

New tears broke free from her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. "And there will always be a place in my heart with your name on it."

He cupped her face and wiped away her tears. She pulled at his leather jacket and closed the gap between them, kissing him desperately. Their time was limited. Every moment was precious and she wasn't going to let not a single one go to waste. She pulled at his leather jacket and she was pleased when he shrugged it off tossing it on the floor. Soon more clothes came off and he leaned her back against his king-sized bed. Her back was met by his soft mattress and the cotton sheets of his as her last piece of clothing exposed her.

…

The sunshine cracked through the gap between the curtains and fell on Soul's bare shoulders, the blanket barely covering his ass she couldn't get enough of. His eyes were peacefully shut as his back slowly rose and fell for every breath he took. Hair a mess from her fingers running through it and red marks on his back from her nails.

She enjoyed watching him sleep. He had been great. More than great. Being with someone who already knew your body had its perks. It was weird how he already knew what made her feel good, but it was a good sign. It meant they would have more time to do it again in a different memory. This wouldn't be their first and last time together. This would be repeated and she was more than eager to get involved again.

"Good morning," she greeted him when he groaned and cracked his eyes open.

A wide smile spread on his face. "Morning." His arms snaked around her and pulled her close to him. "I'm so happy you're still here…" he murmured against her skin as he planted kisses on her neck.

"I wouldn't want to leave you during the night especially after a night like this," she whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair. "It is probably already morning outside of the simulation…"

"Don't remind me." He completely buried his face in the crook of her neck. "I don't want you to leave. Not yet."

"I will have to move on to the next memory eventually."

"I know but…" he paused. "I love you. I don't want this to be the last of _us_."

"It won't be." She pulled away from him and cupped his cheeks, staring into his pleading eyes. "You will still have me. Just an earlier version of me. You know how this works."

He sighed heavily. "I know… I know… but on the bright side, this is only the beginning for you. You'll still have time to _have_ me." He wiggled his eyebrows and she blew a raspberry.

"Oh please, like all I will do is sleep with you all the time. What if one of the members on my team checked in on me and found me sleeping with my _client!_ "

"Trust me, it won't happen." He smirked so wide she was afraid his cheeks would tear. Of course he would know. This was the last time for him they would be intimate. And for her, it seemed like they still had some time to be as close as humanly possible.

"You know I trust you not to fool me into sleeping with you and get my ass fired."

"I wouldn't." He smirked as his hand slowly went lower and lower on her back. "But you do have a nice ass."

She playfully swatted his shoulder when he boldly gave it a good squeeze. "Don't tempt me. I got to get ready to head out. The others will come within just a few minutes and what would they do if they found me hooked up to the simulator already?"

"I'm sure you could come up with something." He closed the space between them and pressed a heated kiss on her lips. She eased into the kiss and snaked her arm around his waist, holding him as close as she could to her. Feeling his bare heated skin against her was intoxicating and she truly wished she could stay. But she couldn't.

She pulled away with a heavy sigh, her lips pulsing from his attention. "We got to stop. I-… I really need to get going."

"It's too bad…" he sighed heavily, resting his forehead against hers. "But before you go, I just want you to know that I'm not bothered by the fact we won't kiss anymore from now on. I sounded like an asshole yesterday and what I feel toward you is nowhere near _just_ being physical."

A smile spread on her face at his thoughtfulness. She gave him a quick peck. "I already know."

…

The moment she had logged out of the simulation, she heard the door open and the footsteps of her colleague. Soul was still hooked up and she quickly went around the bed and pretended to hook him up the moment Wes and Liz entered the room.

"I knew you were already here. That eager to get started on work?" Liz spoke as she entered the bedroom.

"Yeah, there're still so many memories left to go through before I can actually start doing something."

"Yes, about that." Her eyes darted to Wes who stood beside her. "We need to talk in private."

"Is something wrong?" Wes asked worriedly.

"It's nothing you have to worry about," Liz waved it away. Maka swallowed down the knot in her throat, worried about what she would say. She had an idea and it wasn't good. She left the bedroom, closing the door after her and they found themselves in Soul's kitchen, taking a seat by the table.

"So what is it?"

Liz grimaced as she tightened her hands. "I know you want to do a good job, I know you want to help our clients, but our boss is getting impatient."

"He got to wait. Mr. Evans wanted a very vague request and I need to go through all of his memories to know what to alter to fulfil his request. If I alter anything now, it might just turn out worse."

"You can't just work with him, you know. We got other clients we need to help. You just got to hurry the process and do something." Liz shook her head. "Listen, I know it's rough to hear, but both you and I know just looking at his medical history shows this process is weakening him. We got to finish this up quickly so he can actually have a time with the happiness we give him. Not strain his body to the point he will pass away before you've altered any memories."

Her jaw tightened at the thought. She hated how Liz had also noticed it too, and she didn't have any knowledge in the medicine field. She had noticed how his state was getting worse, but it wasn't _that_ bad. At least she tried to convince herself.

"I haven't fulfilled his wish." It was all she could say.

"Then hurry up. We got today to wrap things up before we got to leave to the next client."

…

She knew it would happen, she had prepared herself when the boss would pull the plug, but it still hurt beyond her expectation. It was hard to stay calm and collected in front of Liz even though she was breaking inside. She couldn't show Liz her deep connection to Soul, and it was breaking her bones keeping the pain that was tearing her flesh from her bones. She didn't want what she and Soul had to end. Not yet. She wasn't ready to let go of him quite yet. She still needed a couple of more days before she would have to say goodbye to him. There was no way she could say goodbye to him _today_. She couldn't. She refused!

"What's the matter?" Soul asked the moment the door clicked shut after Soul had asked Wes to leave so they could talk in private.

She bit her lower lip as she tried to keep her tears from breaking free. "The boss has informed me I have to wrap things up today." She came clean in one single breath.

It was like the words punched him in the gut. He squeezed his eyes shut as his head flopped down. "I understand…" he breathed. "We didn't have all the time in the world."

"I tried… I really tried to convince her we needed more time. I tried to tell her that but I―"

"Don't make this harder." He faced her and tears brimmed in his eyes. "I know you tried. I know you've given me all the time you could've given me. I'm so incredibly thankful for the time you've manage to give me."

"Don't say it like that. You should be screaming at me for not managing to give you more time." She marched over to his bed and took a seat, grabbing his old and wrinkled hand. "You should tell me to call my boss and demand more time, to do more to give us more time―"

"Maka…" he squeezed her hand as a tear broke free from his eye. "We both knew this would happen eventually. Let's not waste our precious time on crying when we can spend them being happy together."

"How are we supposed to be happy at a time like this?"

"Because we still have some time left to be with each other." He lifted her hand and moved it to his lips, kissing her knuckles tenderly. "We are still blessed with having today to be with each other. It could've been worse."

He was right. Their time was running out fast. They could spend the rest of their time either crying and mourning for the inevitable or they could push away the hurt and make the best of the time they had left. It wasn't just a day, it was a whole day with plenty of time to stuff with experience and happy memories.

"You've a point." She gave his hand a squeeze before she stood up. "Get ready to enter the simulator again."

…

She had never had that much sex in a day. She jumped from memory to memory, sharing a quick date, plenty of kisses which led to one thing. She tried to get through as many memories as possible to give him as many moments of them together as possible. At first it was like always. He never hesitated when she kissed him, he was always quick to close the gap between them, but for every memory she went through, he started growing more distant and cautious. It then hit her why.

She was reaching the very core where it all started.

He was starting to fall in love with her, or in her perspective, grow into a stranger.

She understood how Soul felt. It was difficult knowing the sweet and fluff were ebbing away. Now when she knew how she felt about him, it was difficult to let them go. All she wanted was to kiss him, hold him and wake up beside him, but once she reached the memory after when he confessed it was their first kiss; it broke her. It hurt.

"This is really freaky." Soul in his mid-twenties said after he had taken in the fact she had just appeared randomly inside of his apartment when he was playing video games on his TV. "Seriously, you need to stop doing that."

"Oh I can't because I've already visited you throughout your life." She plopped down on the couch beside him. "Besides, what would the fun be if I _didn't_ show up at the most unexpected places?"

"One, you're breaking and entering my apartment. I could call the police on you."

"Please, like they would believe you. Besides, it's not breaking and entering if I _appeared_ inside of your apartment." She smirked. He was rubbing off on her with his remarks. "I can't exactly see any signs of any breaking and entering."

His mouth tightened into a thin line. He paused the game and placed the controller on the coffee table. "Why are you even doing this to begin with?"

"It's a little complicated, but you requested me to enter your mind and fix your memories so you wouldn't have any regrets, but something happened and here we are in a tangle between time and space."

"That sounds too freaky to be true."

"It's freaky alright, but it allows us to meet." She smiled as slowly her hand snaked toward his resting on the couch, being as close as he allowed her to his young and strong hand without touching him. "It gave us the chance no one else has ever gotten to be together. We're… we are the true definition of star-crossed lovers."

"We aren't even _lovers_."

"I am yours, and I can tell you you will fall in love with me." A smile spread on her face. "You will love me."

He opened and closed his mouth rapidly, tongue visibly tumbling around in his mouth in search of the right words. "… I will love _you?_ "

"Yeah," she whispered, head lowering and she remembered her own argument with herself. How he had forsaken all women in order to wait for her. They were in a special position. Maybe if… she knew he was happy waiting for her and loving her when she was there. He was content with that, but was it really a way to live? She could change that. She was at the core of his memories. They were at a strange tangle between time and space, maybe if she never told him about where to find the co-pilot wrist gear and about her… he would forget about her and find something more meaningful with his life.

The thought made her stomach twist and her heart to ache. She didn't want him to forget about her— them. She deeply cared about him and she wanted to be the woman who called herself his wife. She wanted him to be hers, but he couldn't. They could make each other promises of love and then what? He would wait for her his whole life and for her? It would be like a fling for a short period of her life and then what would happen to her? She couldn't let Soul do that to himself. He deserved better than to live a life of loneliness.

"Answer me this, Soul, do you want to get married and have kids?"

He raised his eyebrow questioningly. "Yeah, I guess, but not right now. I don't even know you."

So he wanted to. But it wasn't something she could provide for him. She bit her lower lip and she pulled back her hands in favour of fisting her skirt. It was difficult. Really hard. She wanted to set him free, wanted him to live like all the others in his surrounding, but she was torn with what he wanted and what would be good for him. He wanted to wait for her and love her, but it wasn't a good way of life. How could he always wait for her? It wasn't like a long distance relationship when they could still skype with each other. They were in different time spaces, he was fifty years older than her. They didn't have a future. What they had was impossible. Something that was only meant to be written in the stars, but never be touched. They had gone through something incredible. They had found each other against all the odds and fallen in love with each other, but to what price?

Their relationship wasn't going anywhere and… she could change it. She could give his life more meaning than to wait around for some girl frozen at her age while he would grow older for every meeting they had. It was for the best to set him free.

"Listen…" she took a breath of courage. "I only want what's best for you even if it hurts me… You don't have to see me—"

Before she knew it the world started shaking. Picture frames fell from their nails and the glass shattered, shards scattering over the floor. Soul clung onto the couch as the TV swayed unstably.

"E-earthquake?!" he exclaimed.

It wasn't. Something was wrong. In the background, far into her own mind and out in the reality, she could hear the machine going haywire.

Soul!

She quickly opened up her menu and her heart dropped when she found his heartbeat going haywire. Without hesitation, she quickly logged off and she removed her headgear. The dialysis machine was going crazy and Soul was hollering in pain.

It was a battle. One she wasn't ready to lose. With the help of the drugs he kept close to him and her knowledge, she managed to stabilize his condition and buy him some more time.

He was high on his drugs, eyes half-lidded as he rested his hand near his catheter which hooked him up to the dialysis.

"This is enough," Wes spoke from his seat beside Soul's bed. His knuckles white as he gripped onto his cane. "Soul you can't endure this treatment anymore. You will have to settle for the changes Miss. Albarn has done on you. It's too straining on your body."

"No," he whispered, head lulling toward the sides lazily. "We have to keep on going. I'm… it's not finished yet."

"You are too unstable. Your body is weak and I'm afraid if we hooked you up to the simulator again, you might not be so lucky this time," she spoke. It was true. Liz had warned her of this. His body was growing weaker and slowly dying, the simulation was harsh on the body as it was, but adding dialysis on top of that and it would be draining the person of all their energy.

"No." he shook his head, hand shaking madly as he tried to lift it up toward her. Without hesitation, she grabbed it and squeezed it. "You… you have one left."

"It doesn't matter, Soul. You could _die_ if I hook you up to it again."

"You have to listen to her," Wes pitched in. "You can't go through that again without getting hurt."

"Screw my health. I'm… I'm dying anyway." His hand tightened on hers. "Maka… you still have one memory left… you have to go in and tell me where I can find the wrist gear. I need to know in order to close the loop…"

Her mouth tightened. "Soul…" she started. "This might be a good thing. Since I won't tell you, your life can change for the better. You could find a better partner to love. Someone who's actually _there_ for you and who can be there to get married and have kids—"

He shook his head madly. "I can't believe you even _suggested_ it. It was _my_ choice to wait for you and I'm happy with it." He lulled his head toward her and stared into her eyes. "Don't you think you gave me a choice by telling me? I could've chosen to forget the information or stop loving you and be with someone else, but it is what I wanted. I'm not less happy because of it. I'm incredibly happy and blessed to have met you."

"But you want kids and marriage, I can't give that to you," Maka said as she squeezed his hand.

"Does it look like it has bothered me?"

She inhaled and slowly shook her head. "… no."

"Exactly. The woman of my dreams triumphs kids and marriage. I don't want it if I can't have it with you and I've been fine with it my entire life. I never hesitated or thought twice about it." A weak smile spread on his face as and all of his wrinkles appeared on his face. "I love you and I don't want to love anybody else than you."

He was right. It was never a question to give him the information or not, to give him the information had always been the right decision. He had always had a choice. If he wasn't happy waiting for her, he wouldn't have done that. But he loved her and he was content with his life. Happy when she was there and when she was gone, he was still happy and in love.

She was truly lucky she had such an amazing man like him.

"You're right. It's your choice to choose." She pulled her hand away and stood up. "I'll prepare the simulator."

"You can't be serious. He could _die!_ " Wes exclaimed.

"And so will I. We all will day one day, but this is Soul's wish and I'm willing to comply." Maka calmly explained.

Wes's mouth opened and closed rapidly.

"This is what I want, Wes. I _want_ this so badly."

Wes's mouth grew thin and wrinkles covered his cheeks. "Do whatever then."

…

Quickly she gathered the momentos and jumped to the next memory. She was once again in his apartment and this time, he wasn't as calm. Soul screamed at the top of his lungs and tossed the plate filled with pasta at her.

"Burglar!" he hollered at the top of his lungs. "What the fuck are you doing here?!"

"Hold on, I'm not a burglar!" She quickly dodged the spatula that came flying at her. "I'm Maka Albarn, you know me!"

"Get out of my apartment!" He grabbed a hold of the frying pan and held it above his head.

"I'm not going to hurt you!" She screamed and dropped to the floor, covering her head when he brought down the pan only to stop just above her arms.

"Then get out of my apartment," he hissed threateningly.

"I will," she commented. "But first I have to give you information. I don't have much time."

He raised his eyebrow. "What info?"

She knew she was pressed on time, but she couldn't help but to admire him. He looked _really_ good. He had to be around mid-twenties. He certainly was really handsome with his stubby cheeks, wild white hair and those vibrant crimson eyes of his.

He was really hot.

"You have to remember this. If you want to see me again in the future, in the year 2018, you will have to contact a company named Shibusen Corporation and ask for Doctor Maka Albarn to do the procedure. Get me out of the room and get the wrist gear in my blue bag. It will be close to your bed so all you have to do is get me out of the room and you will reach it."

His eyes fluttered. "What are you even talking about?"

"Promise me you will remember this?"

"Sure whatever but—"

The wind was knocked out of him the moment she moved the frying pan away and hugged him tightly.

This was it. The last memory. This was the last time she would see him like this. Where their love started. This incredible simulation where she found something she never thought she needed as badly as she did.

This was the end of it.

"I love you…" she whispered in his ear before she logged out.

…

She lay in his bed, head resting on his shoulder and she held him. It had been easy enough to convince Liz on the phone to stay the night to watch over his condition once she knew of his kidney failure earlier that day. She had a medical degree and she knew what she was doing, so Liz had no grounds to reject her request.

Her hand ran over his shoulder as her nose nuzzled his neck.

If someone told her she would fall in love with a man fifty years older than her, she would call bullshit on it immediately. There was nothing sexy about an old man with wrinkles and minimum hair on their head. She could say she didn't find his body attractive except for his unbearable and utterly beautiful red eyes. The one body part that remained the same throughout the years. She could get lost in his eyes and dream back to the day she first kissed him. But this man, he also had a heart of gold. They had been unfortunate to be born fifty years apart from each other, but they had the incredible luck for their ways to cross and fall in love. They had an age gap that was impossible. With their age difference, they couldn't live together and enjoy life together. They couldn't get married nor have kids. All they had was their love, and it was enough. She loved him. She loved his kindness, his patience and his sarcasm. He was… he truly was for her. His age didn't change that. She had been in his life from his mid-twenties to his early seventies. She had the honour and pleasure to witness his life. She had witnessed so much of his life. His first company party. First promotion. His move to a different city. All the laughs and the tears he shed. And her favourite, the moment Soul introduced her to Wes who spat out his wine and eyes fluttering in astonishment because _she was real_. She loved him. Not for his body although at certain ages it had been _very_ fine, but for what was inside of him. The person stuck inside of the aging body.

She was so happy she had met him and fell in love with him.

"So this is it?" she whispered. "Tomorrow I'll have to leave."

"It won't be the end." He rubbed her back comfortingly. "I will call you every day and you can always come and visit me whenever."

"I promise I will visit you ever weekend and I'll call you every break." Her eyes fluttered shut. "I don't want to let go of what we have."

"Me neither."

She loved this man. Now when the simulation wasn't an option anymore, she wasn't going to walk away because of that. She still loved him and she would be with him until they permanently parted ways.

She cupped his cheek and she steered his face toward hers. He wasn't the beauty he had been when he was younger, but those eyes, they stayed almost the same. They were still the same beautiful shade of red she admired so. The colour of wine and the red on the plaid skirt she adored to wear so much when she was young. This, this right here is the man she was in love with and age didn't matter anymore. There wasn't fifty years between them. They were both here, together at last.

"You don't have to kiss me… I know I'm not how I was when I was younger…" His voice faltered when she rested her forehead against his.

"I don't care," she murmured and she closed the space between him, kissing him.

She fell asleep beside him. Their very first night together outside of the simulation.

And unfortunately, their last.

The next morning, he wouldn't wake up. The machines beeped loudly and she knew, no medical help could help him out. He was gone. He was truly gone. When they were finally together, his body had to give in.

After the ambulance had taken him away, she had hid away around the house, bawling her sorrow out, feeling her heart torn out of her chest and bleeding out the pain within her.

Life was cruel. So incredibly cruel. When they finally had each other, they had to be parted again. She knew he didn't have much time left, but she hoped they had more time together than one night.

"So this is where you have been hiding." Her head snapped and she found Wes waddling over with his cane, his own tear marks on his cheeks.

"Leave me alone," she sobbed as she desperately tried to wipe away her tears to no vain.

"You know he wouldn't want to see you crying."

"Does it look like I give a shit about that? He's _gone!_ When we finally were together, he had to go and die!"

Wes stayed silent as he stayed beside her. "I thought he was foolish. I didn't believe him at first when he told me he had met you. I thought he had finally gone nuts and we had to get him some help but… you were real."

She didn't say anything, couldn't say anything. The pain she was enduring prevailed and she cried it all out.

"He was happy, you know. He lived a curious life and as much as people asked when he would get married and have kids, he always so confidently said he already had someone. Someone who held his heart and who he would wait patiently to return. It was an odd life, but he was so incredibly happy. You truly made him happy."

And it was the truth she wanted to hold on forever. Soul Evans, he lived a life waiting for someone he loved so dearly, who he didn't know when she would return, but he kept on waiting because he was in love with her. None of the typical milestones in life mattered, he threw it all away to be with her, and he was incredibly happy without it. He was happy and in love, he had everything he wanted and needed.

His life wasn't spoiled. He lived the way he wanted to live it and she was incredibly lucky she met him. Fell in love with him. She would never stop loving him, and she would never forget about him. Soul Evans would forever be a part of her, her one true love in life. She would love him till she took her last breath and when the sand ran out, she knew they would find their way back to each other and that time, they wouldn't let go of each other.

 


End file.
